


Say I Do

by nerazenn



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Arranged Marriage, Developing Friendships, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Drama, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/M, Family Drama, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Humor, Modern Era, Politics, Romance, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-04
Updated: 2018-02-01
Packaged: 2019-01-09 01:57:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 46,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12266544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerazenn/pseuds/nerazenn
Summary: "I vow to you today and a thousand times over that I will never let you leave my side."The man to whom she was vowing eternal love was supposed to be her fiance, not her brother-in-law.::[AU][Canon-Divergence][Sesshomaru x Kagome][UNDER CONSTRUCTION]





	1. Here Comes the Bride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay so this is a completely rewritten story from back in 2011 when I first started fanfiction. College and other life priorities got in the way and I had to abandon the project all together. I am finally getting back into writing and I always wanted to continue this story. Please let me know what you guys think!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, they belong to the lovely Rumiko Takahashi.
> 
> Comment and Review!

Never in her life had Kagome Higurashi ever felt so empty; so  _utterly_  alone.

Unease bubbled within her flip-flopping stomach, spreading a wave nausea throughout her petite form. Her porcelain skin was flushed, yet clammy; crystalline hues seeing nothing but red. Hushed whispers were shared behind her; the thrum of quiet chitchat bounced off the mosaic-covered walls. It was not hard to distinguish that she was the sole topic of discussion within the room.

The heat of their stares bore down on her back, and it was enough to make her want to squirm. She shifted slightly, her movement slow. The desire to wrap her arms around herself and shy away from the crowd was strong, though the mass of silk and lace she was dressed in restricted her movements. It was suffocating, constricting; she couldn't  _breathe_. Her throat was dry, an uncomfortable lump forming, adding to her distress. The more she swallowed in an attempt to quell the feeling, the more prominent it became.

The stems of the lilies within her bouquet gave an audible cry under her vice-like grip, drawing her attention. Glancing downward, Kagome scrunched her nose and glared at the white flowers as if they were the sole cause of the  _pure embarrassment_ that was threatening to drown her.

She blamed herself for letting it get this far.

Kagome knew that this entire situation was not going to benefit any of the parties involved without some sacrifice. She was living in a dream world thinking that something like this would not be met with some type of resistance.

This was supposed to be a happy day, one where nothing could go wrong.

This was a day that most girls dreamed of from a young age.

This was supposed to be a celebration, one of happiness and life…of  _love._

But, here she stood, on her wedding day,  _groom-less_.

Kagome rationalized that she should be more upset than she currently was. Most women at this point would have broken down and called everything off. She didn't feel the pinpricks of oncoming tears forming in her eyes; there was no wave of sadness crashing down on her. There was a myriad of emotions swirling around her, but despair was not one of them. No, she mostly felt  _empty_  and  _alone_ , a numbness pulsing through her with every breath she took. Embarrassment held her in a vice, whispering within that she should just  _run away_. It was duty and stubbornness that kept her rooted to the spot she maintained at the altar.

She was not surprised that it came to this point. All stories like this came bubbling to a climax. Though, she sorely wished her situation was not one that would leave her in this utterly insignificant position. Nothing seemed to work out the way that she wanted it to within this relationship. The whole thing was a cruel twist of fate.

It was a political marriage; arranged.

An alliance of…sorts.

-o-

Kagome's father always had a knack for technology, ever since he and her mother had met back in high school. Her mother would tell Kagome stories of her father when he was a teen, about how he would lock himself away in his garage and invent little knick-knacks to impress her. He was always curious about things; he wanted to know what made them  _tick_.

What gave them drive.

Over the years that curiosity developed to the point where he created his own firm. It was modest at first, a small technology company that would produce software for computers, but over time it grew within power. This was the modern era. Everything was run on some sort of software. There were plenty of other technology companies that competed with her father's, but there was only one that he ever deemed a rival: Taisho Inc.

Touga Taisho was an esteemed businessman, ruthless in his field. He ran his company with the utmost care; every product produced was carefully planned, every business deal was a strategic power-play. He conducted himself in the same manner and grace throughout his everyday life. There were no friendships, no bonds, no social gatherings he would attend that would not benefit his company. It was his lifeline; the fruit of his labor and he would not see its downfall. It was no surprise that Taisho Inc. was becoming world-renowned.

Kagome's father has crossed Touga's path early on at a business expo while showing off one of the new microchips that Higurashi Tech. put together. It immediately caught Touga's attention, who wished to directly buy it outright, including the patent to call it his own. Her father vehemently refused, much to Touga's frustration.

Thus, a rivalry was born.

It was never hostile or derogatory. There was no slander or dragging through the mud. The only thing these men attempted to do was one-up each other. They liked to push each other, gauge the reaction and see what the other would do next. It was a simple game among men; to see who would come out on top. Kagome assumed her father caught Touga's interest because he was the first person to deny him what he wanted. In a world where you were always in charge, who would stand up and tell you no?

It carried on for years, the push and pull. One man outdoing the other. Benefit galas were never dull when those two men were in attendance. The casual jibes and mocking undertones were always a source of amusement. The words they spoke were never hurtful; uncivil and full of dry humor, yes, but they were words of two men who grew to respect one another highly.

It was at one of those galas that she met him, the man that was to be her future husband.

Kagome was not prone to such events. She was seventeen at the time, young, and somewhat clueless. Pair a long dress with her naturally clumsy demeanor, and there was bound to be an issue. That instance presented itself when she was trying to descend the staircase into the main ballroom. Kagome had been running late to the festivities, rushing through the doors and down the stairs without any caution. Her high heel tangled in the trail of her gown, the movement of her body already propelling her forward. Before she could make a complete embarrassment out of herself, she was caught and pulled back against a robust and broad frame.

Turning to thank her savior, words died on her tongue. Kagome was caught within the piercing gaze of the most unique pair of golden eyes she had ever seen. He couldn't have been much older than her, maybe by a year or two. His cropped white hair was worn messily, not gelled back like the other men in attendance. Blue locked with amber, and for a moment— _a bated breath_  – Kagome was spellbound.

Then he went and  _opened_  his  _mouth_.

He had mocked her for her lack of ability to walk like a ' _normal person,_ ' questioned her on if she was ' _all there in the head,_ ' and then he proceeded to call her ' _wench_.'

Her hackles rose, left eye twitched in utter annoyance, and like a snake coiling to strike at its prey, Kagome lashed out. An all-out verbal spar had ensued. Back and forth, a battle of mockery and insults was fought. He seemed to be the clear victor with a well-placed dig about her lack of feminine figure. Kagome politely replied with a neat kick to his shin before she stomped off.

It was later in the evening that her father introduced her to his 'esteemed rival' along with said rival's family. Her first impression of Touga was that of intimidation; he was a loud and proud man. Everything about him seemed to emanate power. It was his eyes, however, that gave Kagome a different view. There was a softness; a warmth there that she couldn't quite place. It offset the towering persona that he affronted. The fire within those golden depths smothered into an inferno of tawny when he looked down at the woman next to him and introduced her as his wife.

Izayoi Taisho was even more elegant than the magazines pictured her as. With soft brown eyes and waist length ebony hair, she held herself with the sophistication and grace of royalty. Kagome mused that she technically  _was_  royalty with a husband like Touga. It was only after the introduction was made that Kagome realized it was  _love_  which was the cause for the softness around the edges of the businessman's eyes. She remembered vaguely wondering, in that moment, if someone would look at her like that one day.

The next to be introduced was his youngest son, who she immediately recognized as her would-be savior from the staircase. His name was Inuyasha Taisho.

Glares were shared, insults were passed off, and continued disagreements were huffed – much to the bemusement of both sets of parents.

It carried on for years like that. Whatever events that they attended, no matter how much they tried to avoid one another, Inuyasha and Kagome always got into some argument. It didn't matter the topic; it could have been the weather, they just didn't agree. She didn't quite grasp why he was so brash. Why did everything out of his mouth have to be a crude insult? It was like he had a hardened shell around him.

He didn't want to let anyone in and lashing out was his only defense.

When Inuyasha became the topic of debate amongst Touga, her father, and a few of Taisho's business associates at a financial gala she was attending, Kagome finally understood. Touga was explaining the idea of dividing his company amongst his two sons when he was ready to step down. The notion of his oldest being in charge was something that the group approved. However, the concept of Inuyasha running anything related to Touga's company was rebuffed, scoffed at, and utterly frowned upon.

Kagome remembered the confused look that crossed her father's face. She also recalled the burning anger that turned Touga's gaze into flat golden stone. The group of Taisho's business associates were overlooking Inuyasha's skill with finances and disregarded his understanding of the market. In turn, they decided to make it a point to discuss his apparent lack of decorum. Looking back on it now, she was positive one of the men even went as far as to call him a disgrace to the Taisho name.

Kagome didn't know what prompted her to do it.

Maybe it was Touga's tense posture, one that was ready to battle anyone who disrespected his son.

Maybe it was the look of sadness that flashed within Izayoi's eyes.

Maybe it was the  _utter heartbreak_  that seemed to roll off of Inuyasha as he caught the tail end of the conversation. He didn't look surprised; it was like he had heard those insults before.

He looked beaten;  _broken._

All it took was one look - blue locked with gold.

Kagome moved on her own then, pushing into the fray of bodies. Hellfire burned into her cerulean depths as she stomped up to the nearest man, hands clenched into fists at her sides.

Kagome couldn't for the life of her remember what exactly she said as she ranted and raved to the group of elders. All she could recall from the confrontation was that Higurashi Tech, under her guidance, would never do business with the likes of close-minded, arrogant, and stuffy individuals who had their heads so far up their asses that they couldn't ascertain a decent business deal even if it were waved right under their noses.

She was cut off, mid-tirade, by Inuyasha, who promptly clamped a hand over her mouth and bodily restrained her, all while dragging her out of the building.

Kagome turned her raging emotions on him once they were outside. He remained silent, while she carried on, pacing back and forth on the sidewalk. She was shrieking and shouting about where they got the right to judge anyone. He patiently waited for her to stop, for all the anger to seep out of her as she continued to holler about the inequality of things. When Kagome finally deflated was when she got a good look at him. He looked remorseful, sad, and bashful all rolled into one.

The emotions swam within his gaze, ever-shifting, and suddenly they morphed into something she couldn't ascertain.

He then proceeded to do something that Kagome never thought he would do; he thanked her.

Inuyasha Taisho  _thanked_  her.

She never understood that look, the one that he gave her that night.

Looking back on it now, Kagome didn't think that she ever saw that wayward emotion trickle into Inuyasha's gaze again - at least not around her.

That was the beginning of their odd friendship. Much like their father's relationship, Kagome and Inuyasha were rivals with a twist. Attempting to one-up each other whenever they got the chance. Over the next couple of years, it budded into genuine friendship. Kagome was a woman entering a male-dominated corporate world. Inuyasha was the frowned upon heir to an empire. She was his rock, and he was hers. They were the only ones who truly understood each other – what it was like to be an  _outsider_.

If she had to guess, their friendship was the basis for the idea that their fathers came up with. Watching their children grow into the young adults that would take over their companies one day. What better way to secure their future than a marriage? A marriage that would not only unite their children but their corporations as well. It would push them to the top of the technological hierarchy, securing the power for the new generation for when they took over.

-o-

A cough from behind broke Kagome from her thoughts. Perspiration was beginning to bead under the snowy veil upon her brow, and she fought an urge to swipe it away. Looking up, she caught a glimpse of Miroku Hoshi, clad in his cream and maroon ceremonial robes. The soft baritone of his voice was reciting a passage from a scripture within the golden bible he held. The young woman was thankful she was standing so close to him, he was drowning out of the whispers coming from behind her. Miroku looked up then, feeling her gaze on him. They stared at each other for a moment, his violet eyes filled with nothing but warmth.

Kagome had been introduced to Miroku through Inuyasha about a year ago. He was a personal lawyer that worked with Taisho Inc. He had a reputation of being particularly witty in the courtroom, always cracking jokes at inappropriate times. That, however, didn't stop him from outmatching many when it came to a battle of legal loopholes. Much to the displeasure of his opponents, Miroku had a knack of getting out of any situation that he was presented with. He also proudly maintained a reputation for having  _wandering_  hands. Kagome had been on the receiving end of his "caresses" far more than she had liked over the last few months.

Miroku raised his voice by a decibel then, drowning out the background noise even further. Kagome assumed that he could sense her discomfort, though, she was sure she wasn't masking it well. He continued with his hymn, and he offered her a small reassuring smile before passing a quick glance to his right, then back down to his book.

Looking over in the direction Miroku just gazed, Kagome locked eyes with her best friend and maid of honor. Sango Ito was a vision in the soft lilac silk gown that hugged her figure; her chocolate locks tucked into neat bun nestled in the middle of her head. She looked every bit the put-together maid of honor she was supposed to be, calm and collected on the exterior. However, it was the small furrow on her brow, paired with the dark scowl that was marring her angelic features which disclosed that something was wrong. Sango held her bouquet of flowers in a white-knuckled grip, Kagome noted. Pity and anger danced within her auburn gaze. Kagome knew that Sango wanted her to end this sham of a ceremony, that she didn't want Kagome to continue through this embarrassment.

Unable to handle pressure from the emotions within her best friend's gaze, Kagome bowed her head slightly. Half-heartedly, she turned her attention back to Miroku and looked up at him through her lashes.

Kagome knew Inuyasha didn't want to get married.

 _Hell_ , she didn't want to marry him either.

When they were presented with the notion of their fathers', the two of them burst out laughing. How could they have been serious? They were friends.  _Best friends_. Comrades within a corporate world that they knew little about. Nothing more, nothing less. They both treated their fathers' antics as a joke. They both knew very well that their parents would never actually force them to get married if they didn't want to.

It was a year ago, on Kagome's twenty-fourth birthday, that she no longer took the idea of their marriage as a joke.

It was raining that day, she remembered. It was an accident, a lock-up of the breaks as he tried to swerve out of the way of an unruly stray dog that ended up in the middle of the street. The paramedics said that he didn't suffer. It was a swift and painless death; he was gone before the car had finished rolling off the road.

A year ago, Kagome Higurashi became the unwilling and unprepared CEO of Higurashi Tech. - in the wake of her father's untimely death.

Her father always told her that a man who lives entirely is not afraid of death. Death is a painful truth. It is what is to come. He stated that death was at the end of a foggy road and we must get through the fog called life to finally see the clearing. Though she knew that he would have been content with the knowledge of the way that he passed, it didn't stop the loneliness that was like an unyielding vice on her heart. It squeezed with just enough pressure to be a constant pain, and it smothered her every day just a little bit more. There was no time to grieve after the funeral. Her world had to keep on turning, no matter how much she wanted it to stop. The inner light that she typically emitted was slowly smoldering down to embers.

Kagome had to keep on reminding herself that there was a company to run. Her father's legacy to uphold.

…and she had no idea even where to begin.

She held no regrets turning to Touga for advice, even though it landed her in this current predicament. He had taken her under his wing for the first few weeks, promising her that he would help her keep her father's vision alive. He taught her what he could from afar; he was still competition after all. It would be of no interest to him to help his business' most prominent rival stay afloat, but Kagome knew he was paying his dues to her father.

It was when things finally started to look brighter, that her world came crumbling down once more.

The board of directors at Higurashi Tech. took into consideration the circumstances to which Kagome had succeeded her father, but that did not change their minds on how they felt the company should be run. They were politely asking her to step down.

Again, she turned to the one man who she thought would have all the answers. Instead, he offered her something that she never assumed he would. Touga gave her only one solution to her troubled situation: merge the companies. With his help, Kagome would remain in charge of the Higurashi Tech. portion of things. She would have free reign to do whatever she wanted with her branch as she saw fit, and in turn, her benefit and continued growth would help his company remain at the top of the technological food chain. The only other stipulation that he required from her, besides the merger, was that she would have to marry Inuyasha.

Kagome wanted to feel swindled. She wanted to feel betrayed and back-stabbed by Touga's offer. He knew that she was in no condition to run the company the way that her board of directors would have wanted. It would only have been a matter of time before they had taken the business from her. This was her father's dream, the only thing that she had left of him. There was absolutely nothing that would keep her from running this company, and Touga knew that. He was backing her into a corner, and there was only one way out - his way. The little voice in the back of her head knew he was right, putting the companies together would only benefit them both. It would keep everything that her father worked his whole life for alive. It was like holding a piece of him, and there was  _nothing_  that was going to take this part of him away from her. She would never allow it.

So, she contested the terms.

-o-

It was then that Kagome noticed that her body was trembling slightly. Trying to get her nerves about her, she stilled her quivering muscles in an attempt to muster some vigor to get through this. The tips of her fingers were cold, her toes numb in the pinched high heels she was wearing. Another wave of nausea wracked her form as Kagome struggled to breathe. That uncomfortable lump in the back of her throat was making itself known once more.

She couldn't blame him for this. She  _didn't_  blame him for this.

How could he?  _How could she_?

After knowing each other for the last seven years, Kagome always assumed the bond that she and Inuyasha shared would play a more significant role in this. Some small voice in the back of her head told her that she should never assume anything anymore.

She made assumptions all of her life and look at where they got her.

Kagome assumed that her father would be around when she took over the company to help guide her in the right direction.

Kagome assumed that Touga would have assisted her without an ulterior motive.

Kagome assumed that she would be marrying someone that she loved.

Inuyasha took the news of their betrothal much better than she initially anticipated. In any other situation, he would have caused a riot, flinging foul words and inanimate objects around the room. He would have carried on like a sulking child until he achieved his way. However, he took one look at her,  _blue locked with gold_ , just the same as the first day that they met. As his father broke the news, she felt his eyes bore right down to her very soul. Inuyasha was searching for something. A hint of doubt perhaps? Kagome wasn't sure, but whatever it was he didn't find it.

She knew what he saw when he looked at her. What he gazed upon was unadulterated sadness and empty pleading. Kagome didn't remember how long they remained like that. The silence weighed heavy in the room, Touga, a long-forgotten participant in the conversation. They merely  _stared_  at one another. Cobalt irises being smothered by tawny hues.

In the end, Inuyasha submitted with a bow of his head.

Kagome never questioned why he agreed to the marriage the way that he did, but she was eternally grateful.

When the news of their engagement broke, and the merge of the two companies was solidified, the corporate world erupted into chaos. Competitive companies were asking for meetings to discuss future deals, current employees were looking forward to the new changes, and Touga took it upon himself to announce that he would be stepping down.

Both of their lives were falling into disorder. Here they were, left to their own devices to plan a wedding and to pick up where their fathers left off with their companies. Kagome knew Inuyasha was doing this solely for her benefit. It was a debt that she did not know how to repay. She swore that they could get through this together; that they  _would_  get through this together. Inuyasha was still her rock, and she would always remain as his. Once everything had calmed down after the wedding, they would figure out their lives together.

What she was not expecting, however, was that on the one day that she needed him most – the  _one day_  that they swore they would conquer hand in hand – Inuyasha would abandon her.

Nothing over the last few months would have indicated to Kagome that she would end up alone at the altar. Inuyasha carried on the same, always with that headstrong attitude that rivaled her own. He made it a point to check in on her most days under the pretext of making sure the wedding was not causing her too much stress. Kagome knew better, though. She knew that he was visiting her to calm his fraying nerves. They had come to an unspoken understanding. Or at least, she thought that they did.

The merger would take place after their wedding, and they would run their companies alongside one another. Though they were not marrying for love, there was still mutual respect, and that was more than what some had in their marriages. Together they were going to unite the different aspects of their lives and attempt to achieve the goals that they always strived for. Inuyasha would finally be in charge, and she would keep her father's dream alive.

How was it, that if there was this understanding, she now stood all alone?

-o-

There was a low growl that emanated off from her right. Without having to turn around, Kagome already knew that the gurgled grunt came from Touga. She could feel his anger from where she stood. Most of that frustration was directed towards his son, but Kagome was also a guilty party behind his volatile mood. He was the  _last_  person Kagome informed when she found out Inuyasha had run off.

Miroku had been the first to know that the would-be groom had gone into hiding. Miroku had gone to Inuyasha's apartment before arriving at the church to find his friend's home ransacked. It looked like whoever left had gone in a hurry without concerning themselves with cleaning up the mess they made. Miroku knew right away that he had run, hiding from his responsibility to Kagome. It was not until he found the note laid out on the granite counter-top that his fear was confirmed.

Kagome was getting ready for the ceremony when he brought it to her. She could tell by the look on his face when he entered her dressing room that whatever Miroku had to share with her would not be pleasant. He didn't say a word when he handed her the note. It was a crumbled piece of paper that looked like it was torn from some notebook. Short and to the point, written in Inuyasha's typical chicken scratch were the words that stomped away the small amount of happiness Kagome had been feeling that day.

_K-_

_I'm so sorry, but I just can't do this._

-  _I_

She was confused at first, remaining silent for a long time. The first emotion that erupted within her was anger. Of all days he had to pull something like this? What was wrong with him?

Though, that anger was quickly settled into calm resolve. Kagome promised herself that there would be nothing,  _absolutely nothing_ , that would stop her from taking over her father's company. If Inuyasha was not going to help her along that path, then so be it. She knew the wedding needed to happen for the merger to occur and she  _needed_  this alliance to occur. There would be a wedding, with or without a groom.

Without a word, Kagome crumpled up the letter and politely told Miroku that he needed to leave so she could finish getting ready for the service. The look that crossed his face as he processed what she said was priceless, and Kagome wished she had a camera to capture that moment. The slack-jawed shock plastered all over his face was the only amusing thing that could have occurred from that entire situation. He remained like that for a solid two minutes, attempting to pull himself together. He tried to talk her out of this pony show, –  _pleaded_  – to save herself the embarrassment of this whole ordeal.

Kagome refused.

There was nothing that anyone could do to sway her. She needed to do this. It was for her father.

Miroku had somberly left her after their small debate, to which she took the time to notify her mother and her maid of honor that there would be no groom waiting for her at the end of the aisle. Sango vowed his death by her own two hands, but her mother looked at her with understanding. She didn't try to stop her from what she was about to do. Kagome figured it was because her mother understood better than anyone what it meant to keep this company within the Higurashi family.

Confusion was evident in the church when she was guided down the aisle by her little brother, only to be given away to a non-existent groom. Kagome did her best to drown out the background noise. It helped that Miroku carried out the ceremony as if it was normal only to have the bride present.

She could do this. She  _would_  do this.

-o-

"-gome." Cerulean eyes that were lost within her memories came back to vivid life. Miroku's gaze held that familiar warmth, though, there was a pinch of worry in those indigo orbs. Lips quirking slightly in a small, half-hearted smile, Kagome let Miroku know that he had her attention once more.

When he spoke again, his voice was just a hushed whisper, meant for only her ears. "It's time for the sharing of the vows Kagome," he breathed in her direction.

His eyes drifted towards the vacant spot next to her before he locked eyes with her once more. They merely stared at each other, an awkward silence now descending upon the entire church. She knew that he was worried about proceeding, seeing as it was usually the groom who stated his vows first, but with no groom here, Miroku didn't know what to do.

"Is there any way that we could  _skip_  this part?" She hissed through clenched teeth, panic contorting her features while her eyes darted between Miroku and Sango.

Miroku responded in a sheepish whisper, "Well, I could say a few words instead of you reciting your vows, but we still have to exchange the rings, and  _we very well_   _can't skip that part._ "

How could she do this?

_How could she put herself through this?_

Kagome was in denial. She knew it. Her friends knew it. Every person sitting in the church knew it.

Kagome wanted to believe – to hope – that this wasn't happening. That this whole thing was just one of his immature pranks. He always knew how to get under her skin; always knew which buttons to push that would get a rise out of her. She wasn't expecting him to run through the front door with grandiose proclamations of his undying affection towards her. She knew those words wouldn't be real.

However, she was expecting something - anything to deny that this was happening. If she just continued with the ceremony, it would give Inuyasha enough time to make it for the essential parts…right?

Kagome screwed her eyes shut.

 _'Breathe, Kagome,'_  she chastised herself internally.

What was she going to do? If this wedding didn't happen, then neither would the merger. It would only be a matter of time before the board of directors asked her to step down once again. Could she convince Touga to forget this entire thing? Perhaps after seeing the stress that it was causing them both, then maybe, just maybe, he would ignore the whole notion. She felt like she knew him well enough to try and convince him that they could continue with the merger without this stipulation.

She released a strangled noise from the back of her throat, something between a whine and a sob. Kagome could feel her shoulder shaking, but she wasn't sure if it was a reaction to the stress her body was undergoing or the harsh reality of her entire situation crashing down on her. She could feel everyone's eyes on her. If they were an uncomfortable weight at the beginning of the ceremony, they were now an unfathomable and unnerving mass suffocating her. Kagome didn't want to open her eyes and look around her. If the emotions that Miroku and Sango held were any indication to go from, she was sure that if she took one look at her mother, it would break her. Her mother's eyes were always so calm, so welcoming. Even after the loss of her father – her mother's life partner – she still presented a peaceful and openhearted aura.

It was what got Kagome through her father's death. It helped heal and lift the veil of the sorrow.

Now, she knew that if she took one look in her mother's eyes, it would solidify that this was over. Her mother would tell her just to stop fighting it, to accept this situation for what it is. She could almost hear what her mother would say.

' _It's alright dear,_ ' she would declare in that soft voice of hers. ' _You tried your best, and that is all your father would ask for._ '

This dream of running her father's company was coming to an end. Every aspect of her life was slowly slipping through her fingers like sand. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find purchase to keep all the pieces together. Kagome knew that she had talked herself up. That even though she attempted to prepare herself for going through this ceremony alone mentally, there was little she could do to make herself genuinely ready for the events.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, unshed tears glistening in oceanic depths.

Kagome quickly looked towards Miroku, "You were right Miroku, I shouldn't have done this. I... I-" Her words cut off as a choked sob made its way up her throat. More tears threatened to fall, and it took every ounce of strength Kagome had to stop them.

Miroku remained silent, glancing over at Sango with pleading eyes. He was silently willing her to do something about this. Perhaps if they intervened now, they could save their friend the continued embarrassment of carrying on this charade.

Kagome took a deep shuddering breath and closed her eyes again. She just needed a minute, just a minute to collect herself. She focused on her breathing.

In. Out.

 _In._   _Out._

The only announcement of his arrival was the sudden warmth of a body next to her own. The musky scent of a forest after a heavy rainfall invaded her senses. It was crisp; clean. A welcomed balm that began to sooth her tousled array of emotions.

When Kagome once again opened her eyes, she was met with the sight of Miroku; both eyebrows arched so high they were lost behind his bangs. It took him a moment to collect himself, but when he did, Kagome swore she saw a flash of humor dance within those purple orbs. Confusion wracked her brain and, hesitantly, Kagome turned her head to peek at the person standing next to her.

He was permeating his usual air of nonchalance, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else instead of where he was currently standing. His hair was a waterfall of silver, though it was cut shorter than the last time she saw him. Instead of curling down to his mid-back, it was now just brushing past his shoulders, neatly pulled back into a low ponytail that rested at the nape of his neck. He was clad in a suit much like his father's; traditional black jacket and matching slacks, complimented with a maroon vest and matching bow-tie. It made the color of his eyes flare to life.

Sesshomaru Taisho was a picturesque being of aristocratic authority, mixed with an unparalleled god-like arrogance left him as infamous in the corporate world as he was in the tabloids. His personality befits the power and rank that he held. Like his father, Sesshomaru was a calculating man, but much colder to the point where it was difficult to approach him. He gave her the same first impression that she had of his father – intimidation. Though, where she eventually warmed up to Touga, Kagome never felt comfortable in Sesshomaru's presence.

The last time that they spoke was the night that Inuyasha had announced their engagement. She made the mistake of asking him how he was fairing that evening, to which he answered with a glare and silence. At a loss for how to even continue to engage this type of man in casual conversation, Kagome politely excused herself before hastily scurrying off to an area of the house that didn't seem so  _frigid_.

The only person that Kagome saw Sesshomaru interact with that night –  _willingly_  – was his father. Even then the conversation seemed strained, with Touga taking over most of the discussion. Kagome didn't know how she felt about him. She couldn't read him. He was elusive; a mystery. Sesshomaru was a man that was indescribable when it came to appearance and demeanor. Many men sought to be him, and many women sought to be with him. Kagome got the feeling that he didn't particularly like her even though he never voiced his dislike out loud.

She was indifferent towards him; someone that just happened to be around him on occasion. They were not friends. Hell, they weren't even  _acquaintances_.

That being said, it didn't explain what he was doing, standing next to her at the  _altar_.

Sesshomaru looked at her then, a fleeting glance from the corner of his eye. Kagome saw the barest hint of disinterested gold before he turned his gaze upon Miroku.

"Continue," He deadpanned.

Kagome's eyebrows scrunched in utter confusion. What was he talking about?

Continue?

Continue  _what_  exactly?

It was then that she realized that he was talking about the exchanging of vows. Kagome quickly snapped her head in Sango's direction. The brunette looked to be caught in the same surprised stupor that she was. She glanced back towards Sesshomaru and opened her mouth to protest, but Miroku cut her off before she could even get a word out.

"Will you be standing in for the role of the groom?" He questioned in an almost – dare she say –  _pleased_  voice.

Sango recovered from her surprise at the question. "Stand in?! That is highly  _illegal_. Of all the harebrained schemes that you have come up with over the years Miroku, this takes the cake! You are a lawyer; you should  _know_  better!" She screeched from her position off to the right, voice echoing throughout the cathedral. "Are you out of your  _mind_  Miroku?" Sango questioned, "Enough of this, I should have never let Kagome carry on this far. We need to end th-"

"Quiet." Sesshomaru softly demanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

He briefly glanced at Sango, pinning her with a glare before his eyes trained back on Miroku. An eerie silence descended upon the church at that moment.

No one spoke.

No one whispered.

_No one even breathed._

After a lull of uncomfortable silence, Sesshomaru finally offered a response to the original question, "I am no stand-in."

Sango, who, at this point was closing the distance between herself and Kagome, stopped dead in her tracks. Her face contorted into another blatant expression of shock. Miroku rose an elegant brow at the stiff response but kept his mouth firmly closed.

The voices that had previously been silent were now back with a vengeance. Over the multitude of murmured whispers, Kagome could swear that she also heard someone choke back a fit of laughter. Strangely, it seemed to be coming from the direction Touga was sitting. Kagome was aware that she needed to do something –  _say something_  – that would help her gather the reins and take control of this situation.

Before she could speak, Miroku, once again, beat her to it. "Then by all means, please state your vows," He hummed with the corner of his mouth kicking up with a smirk.

Sesshomaru turned towards her then, easily towering over her petite frame. Kagome gaped up at him like a fish out of water, her mouth opening and closing while her brain tried to piece together some protest. She needed a moment to gather her thoughts. She needed to wrap her head around just what  _exactly_  is going on.

In response to seeing her pathetic attempt at stalling, Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes a fraction of an inch and looked at her menacingly. Kagome took that as her cue to politely  _keep her mouth shut_. With an audible click of her teeth, she shifted stiffly in his direction. She was sure she looked like a deer caught in the headlights, doe-like cerulean orbs staring up at him with a mix of confusion and apprehension.

When he spoke again, his voice had picked up in volume, though it dropped an octave. It was a deep and husky baritone that Kagome had never heard him use before.

"I vow to you today, and a thousand times over that I will never let you leave my side. I invite you to take all of me, to come into my life and to share all I have to offer. I humbly give you all that I am and pray that you choose me on this day and all of our days hereafter."

The longer he spoke, the quieter the church seemed to become, all listening to words that were so sincerely expressed. They wrapped around her, caressing her skin with an unparalleled warmth. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand to attention as she listened to his vows. A cascade of pink dotted on the pale skin of her cheeks as she stared, once again slightly slack-jawed, at the man before her.

This man who she barely knew.

This man who had come to her in her time of need.

This man.

 _This man was supposed to be her brother-in-law_.

There was something in his gaze that she could not quite place, something that turned cold amber into molten, golden fire. He was looking at her;  _through her_. It was almost as if he was seeing someone that was not her. Was he imagining someone else standing next to him? Her stomach twisted in a knot, but this time she wasn't so sure that the cause was the anxiety of the situation.

No.  _This_  was something else.

Miroku took advantage of her stunned state. He wanted to get this entire ceremony over and done with. The sooner the procession ended, the quicker he could get Kagome away from all of these prying eyes.

"Do you…er…," He floundered for a moment before collecting himself. "Sesshomaru Taisho take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto her for as long as you both shall live?" Miroku asked.

"I do," Sesshomaru supplied in a clipped tone, his eyes never once leaving Kagome.

Miroku then looked towards Kagome, who was still flushed with stunned awe. "Do you Kagome Higurashi take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto him for as long as you both shall live?" He asked again.

She didn't answer right away. She  _couldn't_ answer right away.

What was there to say? What could she say? How did she end up in an even more confusing situation than the one she had already been in? Out of everything that could have occurred today, standing here facing a man she barely considered an acquaintance and vowing her entire life away was not something that she figured would happen.

A cold chill of dread slithered its way up her spine. She should not be doing this. If it were up to her, she  _would not_  be doing this. It was hypocritical to think that she would have been alright with this entire thing if it was Inuyasha standing next to her. What made it so different now that it was Sesshomaru standing here? She needed to remember what she was doing this for.  _Who_  she was doing this for. What was that burning desire that fueled her through this much of the ceremony?

This was her father's legacy;  _she would not let it die._

She pulled her lower lip between her teeth for a moment, gnawing at it slightly while staring up at Sesshomaru. A million questions were floating through her mind, but there was only one seemed to stand out more than the rest.

_Why?_

Releasing a ragged breath, Kagome squared her shoulders and straightened her spine.

"I do," she stated quietly.

Everything else around her seemed to fade into darkness. The church, the guests, even Miroku and Sango. Kagome merely gazed at the man before her. The realization dawned quicker than she had anticipated and it caused unease to bloom within her stomach once more.

She had pledged eternal love to a man that she hardly even knew….and he was supposed to be her brother-in-law.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading!
> 
> You can always find me on tumblr. Stop by and say hi! (itsmillertimexx)


	2. Pack It Up, Pack It In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you everyone who showed the first chapter all that love! It means so much and I really appreciate it.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, they belong to the lovely Rumiko Takahashi.
> 
> Comment and review!

The magazines slammed onto the desk with an echoing ' _thwack'._

"Of all the hairbrained, idiotic, and  _selfish_  things that he could have done," Touga growled, flopping back into the black leather chair behind him ungracefully. He ran a hand over his face slowly, trying to piece together his jumbled thoughts. A headache was starting to form in his temples and golden orbs screwed shut in an attempt to combat the pulsing throb that was quickly starting to escalate in magnitude. He pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something under his breath. The only words that were distinguishable were  _'spoiled brat'_  and  _'ungrateful child'_.

He took a moment to collect himself, exhaling a deep –  _slow_  – breath from his nose. "I wonder if she has seen them," he pondered out loud in a quiet voice, without opening eyes.

His comment was met with silence, not that Touga was expecting his guest to actually discuss the topic at hand. No, Sesshomaru would not discuss his half-brother, at least, not  _willingly_. His son would never enter a conversation about Inuyasha, especially when said half-sibling was causing a scandal towards the family name.

Now, it was one thing to skip out on your own wedding. The press had a field-day covering that topic. It was in  _every_  newspaper,  _every_  tabloid,  _every_  gossip outlet. There were plenty assumptions made, especially about Kagome.

Had she run him off?

Was there another man?  _Another woman_?

Just how did she end up being engaged to one brother and then married to the  _other one_?

The names they called her weren't pleasant and neither were the presumptions that they were beginning to make about Sesshomaru. He was now sporting the label of 'wife stealer', though, if he resented the nickname, he didn't appear to show it. It didn't help that neither the members of the Higurashi family nor his own were offering any type of information to clarify the situation.

Touga had been in this business for a long time – he could fix this. There was no helping the circumstances that had already occurred. What was done, was done. It wasn't optimal for business, but it would eventually blow over. Being in the lime-light was something that one simply had to get used to; people nosing themselves into your daily life. Not everything those people were going to say would be positive. He knew he could pull a few strings; talk to certain personal-relations representatives and sure enough the story would be old news in a few weeks, a month at most. He could go back to running his business and the press could move on to the next hot topic.

A story of this caliber, unfortunately, was going to be especially hard to sweep under the rug. Especially when the individual who skipped out on his own wedding was then pictured –  _four days_   _after the incident_  – leaving a New York City club with a scantily dressed female under his arm.

If they thought the wedding was widely covered, Inuyasha's "wild night out", as it was so dubbed, was blown-up to epic proportions.

The photos were all over the news, pictured in every magazine,  _plastered all over the internet._

The real kicker was that Inuyasha seemed to be  _reveling_  in the attention. He wasn't trying to slink away from the photographers, nor was he trying to hide his face. He wasn't caught off guard or surprised by being bombarded with the flashing lights. Instead, he was wearing the biggest, goofiest, shit-eating grin that Touga had ever see.

Touga understood that his son was not the pinnacle example of subtle, but couldn't he have just laid low? Let this entire circus-show die down before sneaking back into Japan and facing the consequences  _quietly?_

Of course not, this was Inuyasha.

Even when attempting to be quiet, he was still the loudest person in the room.

He was always –  _always_  – drawing attention to himself.

"Imbecile," Touga groused, before releasing the hold he had on his nose and opening amber eyes in a slow, fatigued manner.

He swiveled in his chair with an audible ' _squeak'_ , casting his gaze towards the vibrant Tokyo skyline just outside his office windows. It was still early in the morning; the darkness of night had not long surrendered completely to the light of day. Touga could make out the thick gray clouds that were cast over the sky. There was an occasional spear of light that pierced through, dancing over the metallic surfaces of various buildings. It bathed his office in an eerie blanket of yellow-grayness that was surprisingly relaxing on his frayed nerves.

He huffed, leaning back further into his office chair. There were moments much like this one where he wished that he kept his hair long. It would give him something to tug on – something physical that would give him an outlet to vent his frustrations on. Contrary to popular belief, and unlike both of his sons, Touga chose not to take out his anger by throwing inanimate objects. He ran another hand through his cropped, slicked back white locks before bringing his chin to rest in the palm of his hand, elbow propped upon his knee.

He should have foreseen something like this occurring. You cannot make puppets out of human beings, toying with their lives until they bend to your will. It was hypocritical of him to even consider something like an arraigned wedding, especially when his first was just that.

His first marriage – to Sesshomaru's mother – was under the exact same circumstances. Touga's stomach churned at the notion of recalling those few years that they spent together.

Kimi was considered striking, unearthly, even amongst the presence of the most beautiful women. Touga always said that it had to do with her unusual coloring, alabaster locks and tawny eyes, much like his own. There was just an air about her that made her stand out from the rest. One glance in her direction and you understood that there was no way in which you could compete – she would always be  _above_  you, no matter the situation. Touga never really knew her outside of the few occasions that they had attended the same gathering, but Kimi's father was an associate of his own. Their fathers arraigned their union much like he had done for Inuyasha and Kagome.

Their downfall was not because Kimi was a bad person. There were no harsh words or lengthy bitter fights. Neither one of them went back on their vows, but their marriage was just… _there._

Sesshomaru, much to Touga's amusement, took after his mother in personality. Kimi was always reserved, a woman who placed very high importance in the words that she spoke. She always chose her words carefully and if she didn't deem the conversation necessary, she didn't bother to offer any commentary. It made her standoffish – giving off a cold, numb persona – almost like she was an empty shell. There was a certain playfulness about her, though, Touga rarely ever caught a glimpse of that side of her. She usually demonstrated that type of attitude when presented with a challenge, especially challenges related to business. It was like a cat playing games with a mouse – cunning in nature in an almost sadistic type of way. This was what made her a worthy prospect of being his wife. She would help run his company with as much ruthless scrutiny as he intended to.

Unfortunately, the lack of intimate connection paired with no communication outside of their shared corporation, lead to a quick divorce a few years after Sesshomaru was born. The choice to have a child was a fail-safe option that they were considering, but a child could not be the glue that held a marriage together. Ultimately, it was a weight lifted off of both their shoulders when they separated. Neither of them were actually happy. The tension that was slowly building,  _pulling_ , on them for years had finally snapped. Their separation offered nothing but sweet relief for both parties. They parted ways with Kimi placing a chaste kiss on his cheek and a promise that she would be around for all holidays and important milestones in her son's life. It was a promise that she always saw fit to keep over the years and Touga was thankful for it.

His history was the real reason why he wasn't actually upset with what Inuyasha had done. He couldn't be. A loveless marriage was just that – loveless. To ask someone to partake in that type of unification, where loneliness was a constant companion instead of your significant other, was inhumane of him. He regarded his first wife impassively, but he knew that he was lonely during those years. It was like cold fingertips were lightly tracing his soul while he fruitlessly attempted to seek some type of warmth. It was empty and disheartening.

To even consider coercing this type of marriage made him look like a bigot. He had no excuse for his behavior and he would own up to what he had done. As much as his actions crushed him, they were still his own. There was no justification and he would attempt to make none. Just the thought of what had occurred left him permanently fatigued. It was selfish, but he saw the way Kagome and Inuyasha interacted with one another.

There was respect there; kindness and consideration.

There was love – albeit not the romantic kind of love, but there was love  _nonetheless_.

That was more than he had in the foundations of his first marriage, so he had come to hope that they would build a lasting union together.

Touga cared for Kagome like a surrogate daughter, but he knew that with her father's passing, she would be in over her head with his company. The Board of Directors would have run her out of her position before the year was up. Touga respected her father far too much to watch his life's work slip through the young Higurashi's fingers. The ultimate outcome would have benefitted both parties. Kagome would be able to keep her father's company and Inuyasha – his utterly  _brainless_  son – would take over his portion in Touga's company with a woman by his side who would keep him levelheaded and focused.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Inuyasha, nor was it that he believed the downtrodden views that other individuals held for his second born. Touga knew this type of business would eventually be too much for him. Inuyasha may have been brash and strong-headed, but he was soft-hearted, wearing his emotions on his sleeve. When the world you live in turns against you, there is only so much that you could take. It would eventually fester like a plague – a parasite that would feed off of Inuyasha's essence. Touga never wanted to see the day where his son's spirit – no matter how pigheaded and loud it was – withered away. Inuyasha may pretend like the things that people said about him did not inflict any harm, but Touga knew better. He could see it in his son's eyes.

It would eat him alive one day.

Touga wanted to release the reigns to his company with little worry and Kagome was the key to making that happen. Everything that he had worked hard for would be left in three capable pairs of hands.

His dream would never die.

Well, now he wasn't so sure.

The whole notion went to hell with one son across the world partying and the woman who he was supposed to marry now legally tied to his elder half-brother.

Touga released an unamused snort, before lifting his head from his hand. Turning his back on the windows, he took the time to survey the room around him. Golden hues perused from the wall of built-in wooden bookshelves and filing cabinets, passed over the elongated glass conference table and chairs, pausing briefly on the empty onyx leather armchairs in front of his desk, and came to land on his elder son who was sitting on the black leather couch on the left side of the room.

Sesshomaru currently had his nose buried in a financial file of one of their competitors who was looking to strike up a deal, eyes slowly cascading over the page. His laptop sat open on the low glass-top coffee table in front of him, the black suit jacket that he wore to the office was neatly folded over the arm of the couch. The sleeves of his pristine white dress shirt were rolled up to his elbows and he had foregone a tie that morning, the top button of the shirt undone. To anyone else he would have looked like he was hard at work, but Touga knew better. There was a tension in his shoulders that had him drawn taught like a bow string. His son looked stiff and disconnected. His face held a neutral look, but there was an underlying stress that was accentuated with the small frown marring his features. Exhaustion was swimming in Sesshomaru's eyes, though if anyone questioned him on it, it would be easily disguised under his trademark glare of haughty disregard.

A pang of guilt lodged itself in the pit of Touga's stomach, forming an uncomfortable knot. He quickly attempted to squash the feeling.

Touga cast a quick glance towards the wall clock that hung above his office door, noting that it was still relatively early in the morning. The office technically had not opened yet, but within the next half-hour, his employees would start to file through the front door.

Impatiently, he tapped his fingers on the mahogany surface of his desk, looking towards his son and leaning further back into his chair.

"They're still talking about you two, you know," Touga drawled in an attempt to get some type of reaction out of Sesshomaru. He  _needed_  to know what was the cause for his son to be so out of character. Was it the press? The marriage? Or, more specifically, who he was married to? Touga had not spoken to Kagome in a few days, but as far as he knew, the couple had not been in immediate contact with one another since the wedding. "You've been bumped back from the front page to page five though. Seems your brother stole the lime-light."

There was no response to his comments save for a soft grunt followed by the sound of fluttering paper as Sesshomaru turned a page in his report.

Sesshomaru had barely said two words about his impromptu wedding since it had occurred a few days prior. Touga was expecting something – anything really. Getting married was one thing. Getting married, unannounced and unplanned, was another. Yet Sesshomaru continued on with his daily life like nothing had changed.

"You should talk to her," Touga commented, not taking his eyes off his elder child. "It might be better for the two of you to face this together. Maybe it would be best for you both to do an interview to clarify some of this..." He paused for a moment, waving a hand out in front of him while he struggled to find the right word. "… _interesting_  situation."

The only answer he received this time was a simple, quietly hummed ' _hn'_  which seemed more bored in nature than anything else. Sesshomaru closed the file that he was reading, placing it down on the couch next to him before picking up his laptop and tapping away at the keys.

Touga fought the urge to narrow his eyes. "Your brother has to come back eventually, though we can't tell exactly when that is going to be. It  _might_  be better to wait for him to come back before talking to the press…though, I can't imagine that Kagome is handling this situation well. She has unwillingly become an infamous harlot in the city of Tokyo."

This time, Sesshomaru didn't even grace his father with a response. Instead, he chose to continue typing on his keyboard as if he didn't hear Touga in the first place.

Touga rolled his eyes while shaking his head slightly. As much as he wanted to put this entire state of affairs behind him, there needed to be a point where they discussed this. Touga knew his son. Sesshomaru didn't do anything out of the kindness of his heart. Every aspect of his life was carefully planned – well  _most_  aspects of his life, anyway. He had taken after Touga in that facet. Life was like a game of chess, you needed to be two steps ahead of your opponent to come out as the victor. Sesshomaru barely knew Kagome; they had met only a handful of times over the years. So, how was it that his emotionally defecate son found it in his heart to tie himself down –  _in holy matrimony_  – to a woman that he could count the number of times he met on one hand? After all of this occurred, said son then proceeded to go about his life like the entire thing hadn't occurred.

"You know…" Touga began again, "We haven't had the chance to discuss exactly why you did this."

His statement gave Sesshomaru pause, slender fingers halting and hovering over the keys of his computer. His son flicked his glance in his direction, gold locking with gold. Sesshomaru cocked his head to the right ever so slightly. A few loose strands of silver fell over his left shoulder and his eyes narrowed  _ever so slightly_. Touga could tell that he was attempting to assess exactly what he was trying to ask. What was the end game that Touga was looking to achieve with this type of statement?

After a moment of unaccompanied silence, Sesshomaru cast his gaze back towards his computer screen and continued to type.

He provided his response after another minute of pregnant stillness, "We need her company to merge with ours. The computer chips that her father invented are unparalleled within our field. We would benefit to own the company that developed these chips." The tone of his voice was flat, clearly expressing that he would rather be discussing anything other than the reasoning for his sudden change in marital status.

"I see," Touga commented offhandedly, his voice clearly displaying that he was unconvinced. He brought his palm up to cup his chin once more while balancing his elbow on the desk. His opposite hand began to drum once again on the wooden desktop. "I hope I am not overstepping my boundaries, but I find myself highly  _skeptical_  that this is the only reason why you did what you did."

Sesshomaru didn't look at his father when he answered this time, "We've avoided more of a scandal this way then if no one were to marry her. We would have lost not only Higurashi's company but the heir to that company as well."

Touga arched one elegant silver brow at his son's answer, but before he could comment, Sesshomaru continued on. "It would hurt our future business endeavors if the soon-to-be owner of one of our biggest competitors was left at the alter by your son and  _partial_  heir to your company."

It was the tone in which he used the word 'partial' that caused Touga to sniff in an uncharacteristic expression of anger.

"Well, it's not like this is the biggest  _scandal_  that we have faced over the years," Touga stated in a sharp quip, his tone leaving room for underlying implications.

As a result, Touga finally got the reaction that he was looking for. Sesshomaru's head snapped up quickly, amber eyes narrowing as he glared vehemently at his father. His lips thinned out into a pinched line, the corners curving down in a deep frown.

Touga growled softly in response, his fingers halting in their dance across his desk. "Don't give me that look, boy. How you feel about running this company  _in tandem_  with your brother is none of my concern. You will take over with Inuyasha and there will be no questions asked."

Snidely, Touga added, "How quickly you forget that you are where you are because of  _my_  hard work and assistance, not your own."

Before Sesshomaru could react or comment, Touga continued on, "If… _when_  your brother returns," he quickly amended. "I will be stepping down. Everything that I have built, hell even this  _office_ , is going to be graciously handed to you. You would do right to ease yourself into this transition by getting to know your new partner and  _wife_."

The slamming of Sesshomaru's laptop punctuated the end of Touga's statement. He quickly stood up and dawned his suit jacket before gathering his files. His son made a beeline for the office door, long strides allowing him to cross the room quickly.

As Sesshomaru reached for the doorknob, Touga spoke up again. "Sesshomaru," he called in a voice that commanded attention. It was a tone that he hadn't used since Sesshomaru was a child.

Sesshomaru cocked his head towards the left, looking at his father over his shoulder. The slight quirk of his eyebrow let Touga know that he held Sesshomaru's attention.

"A word of advice," Touga stated in an almost sarcastic tone. "When you speak to Kagome, especially when you ask her to come to the office in the next few days – because  _you are going to ask her_  – you might want to wear your wedding ring." Touga lifted his left hand and pointed a finger towards the golden band wrapped around his own slender digit for emphasis.

There was a slight stiffening in Sesshomaru's shoulders in response to his father's statement. If Touga deemed him tense before, he was absolutely rigid now. Sesshomaru didn't say another word before he tossed open the door and strode through the archway, not even bothering to close it behind him as he exited.

Touga pursed his lips in response for a long moment before he released a defeated breath and slouched forward, shoulders slumping. The headache that was long forgotten was slowly beginning to make itself known again.

"…Kami give me strength…" He softly commented while bringing his hands up to rub his temples.

It was going to be a long day.

-o-

"Kagome, is this the last of it?" Sango questioned from the doorway, eyeing the few boxes that were sitting by the entryway. She peered into the open containers curiously. "Where on earth did you get all of this junk from?" She questioned, holding up a necklace made out of white beads with a large purple bauble in the center.

Kagome appeared at the top of stairs in a flash of movement. "Hey," she called in a slightly exasperated tone. "I'll have you know that the necklace that you are holding is one of the best sellers over at the Sunset Shrine. It is not  _junk_."

Sango glanced at the necklace that was pinched between her thumb and pointer fingers, then shifted her eyes toward Kagome with raised brows. "The Sunset Shrine?" She said slowly, trying to remember where she had heard of that location. It was only a short moment before Sango's face filled with recognition. "The place that you worked part-time during high school?"

Kagome hummed a note of confirmation before disappearing from the top of the stairwell. "Yes…don't you…remember?" She called in a raised voice from up in her bedroom, her inquiry coming out in short grunts as she struggled to gather up the rest of her belongings.

When Kagome had gathered her wits about her, she commented again, "We used to get dressed up for events that they used to host. How could you forget that obnoxiously tight outfit with the funny armor plates they asked you to wear one year?"

"And you had to dress up as one of the priestesses!" Sango exclaimed up towards her, laughing at the memory. "I had almost forgotten about that," she added before dropping the necklace back into the box that she had dug it out of.

Kagome reappeared at the top of the staircase, descending slowly while carrying a cardboard box that was labeled ' _Books and Files'._

"Do you really think you're going to need all of this stuff?" Sango asked while reaching for the packing tape that was leaning up against one of the boxes. She held one of the containers closed with her knee, ripping a long piece of tape free from the roll with her teeth and attempted to seal the box closed.

When Kagome reached the bottom of the stairs, she placed the package down with a relieved sigh. Balling her fists together, she brought them to the small of her back, arching forward in an attempt to stretch after all the heavy lifting she had done that morning. She released a pleasured moan when she felt a series of ' _pops'_ climb their way up her spine. After a few moments of holding the position, she relaxed with another sigh and examined all the moving containers that were in front of her with a critical eye.

"I'm not really sure what I am going to  _need,_  per say," Kagome offered in a hesitant tone. "But, I am moving into a new home and a new office. I would rather have an overabundance of my stuff rather than having to dig something out from storage in a few days." The decibel of her voice had grown quieter the longer she spoke, crystalline eyes growing slightly distant.

Sango paused in her movements of taping another box closed to look up to see the detached look on her friend's face. Her expression softened before she offered Kagome a small reassuring smile.

"You're right," She hummed quietly.

Sango looked at Kagome for a long moment, deciding that it would be best to try and distract the other woman from her current train of thought. Her friend had been increasingly withdrawn over the last couple of days, not that Sango blamed her for it. After everything that had happened, Sango was expecting Kagome to have some sort of breakdown. She had known Kagome since they were kids in middle school, anxiety was something her best friend never handled well. Stress always spread through Kagome easily, like ink on paper, consuming all of her attention.

Sango was astonished to note that the raven-haired woman didn't even bat an eye towards at her circumstances. A situation that should have ended with waterworks and despair was handled with melancholy and lack of feeling. For Kagome to remain as tight-lipped about the wedding as she had been thus far truly amazed Sango. Things had only gotten worse since the ceremony; the press was dragging Kagome through the proverbial mud. Instead of vocalizing an outcry, Kagome simply turned a cold-shoulder to the news outlets, taking the last few days to try and piece her life back together within with these ever-shifting circumstances.

To say Sango was worried was an understatement, but she knew that she couldn't force Kagome to discuss something that she was still in the middle of processing. Instead, Sango chose a different method.

_Distraction_.

Over the last four days, there had been plenty of old movies played, shopping trips, and takeout meals to last a year. It was the only thing that seemed to work. She would do anything to lessen the burden of Kagome's woes. She caught the lost looks, the moments where Kagome would revert in on herself. If she could ease these instances, then she would.

Cocking her head to the side in a confused gesture, copper eyes glinted with mischief as Sango cleared her throat.

"What on earth are you wearing?" Sango questioned in a tone that clearly emphasized her perplexity, though there was a hint of ill-disguised mirth mixed in.

Kagome easily snapped out of her dazed sate, blue eyes blinking slowly in an effort to clarify what she just heard. A slow forming furrow began to mar her brow, while her eyes took on an annoyed tint.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kagome questioned in a half-insulted, half-humored tone before looking down at herself. Her ebony locks were currently tied into a high ponytail in a desperate attempt to keep them out of her face while she was packing. She was wearing a white baggy shirt that was painted with a logo of an old band that she used to listen to back in high school. She had cut the neckline in an attempt to stylize the shirt and as a result, it hung off of one shoulder haphazardly. Kagome paired the t-shirt with dark denim flair jeans and pair of white slip-on sneakers.

She liked to think that her outfit was socially acceptable, or at least, to her standards it was.

"You're the biggest topic in Tokyo right now, all eyes are on you, and here you are moving into your new place looking like you just went to a really bad rock concert?" Sango probed with a smirk, her arms crossing over her chest.

Kagome growled in exasperation, "It's called being  _comfortable_  Sango. Not everyone is comfortable doing heavy lifting dressed like they are going to a job interview."

"Hey now! I left work early to help you out today," Sango exclaimed, uncrossing her arms and looking down at her own attire.

"And I am ever so grateful for your help, but don't go making fun of my outfit while you're going around carrying boxes in a button-down dress shirt and slacks," Kagome stated in amused tone before sizing the tape from her friend's grasp and bending down to adhere another box closed.

"Are those files for work?" Sango inquired, attempting to hide her humor and failing. Her plan at distracting Kagome had gone as well as she had hoped, anger was always a better reaction compared to sadness.

Kagome finished taping the box closed before standing up and nodding. "I figure it'll be best to go over them while I'm…getting settled, that way I could bring the important stuff into the office in a couple of days." At the end of her statement, Kagome turned and looked back towards the interior of her apartment.

A sudden wave of nostalgia hit her,  _hard_.

"I am really going to miss this place," She commented towards Sango over her shoulder while taking a step further towards the middle of the living room.

It wasn't anything extravagant. A simple loft apartment with a carpeted living room that blended into a tiny ceramic tiled, open-faced kitchenette. The hardwood stairs at the entryway lead up towards a modest sized bedroom with an attached bathroom that was just big enough for one person to move around in comfortably. The only window in the whole apartment was in her bedroom, leading out to the fire escape between her building and the one next door. The walls could use a fresh coat of paint, but Kagome always thought the faded pastel blues and whites helped blanket the apartment in a cozy atmosphere.

Taking into consideration the background that she stemmed from, people who came to understand her living situation always seemed to be flabbergasted as to  _why_  she would live in an apartment complex such as this. Kagome always joked, ' _Well the water pressure was just too good to pass up._ ' In reality, this tiny little apartment was the first purchase that she ever made  _on her own_.

Her father's money didn't pay for the security upon signing the lease nor the monthly rent that followed thereafter. It was something that she worked for, the money that she saved up working all those summers. Her savings was actually going towards something of value. Her parents were slightly disheartened when she told them that she was moving out upon her entrance into university. She figured that the only real reason why they let her go out on her own was because her father knew that eventually, she was going to be the one to take over his company. If she wanted a few years to be out on her own, then he would allow it. As long as she maintained appearances when and where he needed her to, she was allowed to go to university and live a semi-discreet lifestyle over the next few years.

Despite certain key aspects of her life being predestined, her parents were always fair in their judgement on the decisions that she made for herself. She never resented her parents for the influence that they held over her. Kagome wasn't raised by nannies or maids, nor was she given a chauffeur that would answer her beck and call. She and her brother were raised in a household where respect was given when earned. She felt like she had a traditional upbringing, though, the size of her childhood home might have made it a  _little less_  traditional then she would have liked.

Looking around her apartment now, bare and desolate without her belongings scattered about, it this didn't feel like her home. This wasn't the apartment that she spent the last six years molding into her own private escape.

Kagome crossed her arms over her chest, tiny hands rubbing up and down her forearms attempting to chase away a nonexistent chill.

No one really knew how little they actually owned until they began to pack it up in boxes. Kagome was surprised how her entire life, the life that she began to build without the external influences of her father or his company – the life that she crafted with her own  _two hands_  – was able to fit within the trunk and the backseat of Sango's car.

She never really thought about this part of the marriage. Maybe she was too caught up in getting to the actual wedding day or maybe she was too focused on the preparations of taking over her father's company. She never put any thought into where Inuyasha and herself were going to live after they had gotten married. Most couples had already owned a home together before the ceremony. Who was going to move in with who? Knowing Inuyasha, she would have had to move into his penthouse apartment across town. There was no way that he was going to give up his home in the lap of luxury for Kagome's minuscule one-bedroom apartment.

She should have prepared for this moment, but with everything that happened during the wedding, she never put any thought into it until her mother made a comment about her living situation. They had originally been discussing the things that the papers were saying about her when the topic came up.

' _It will calm down eventually," her mother had reassured. "Perhaps even more so when people see that you've finally moved in together.'_

Kagome couldn't say that she was upset with the things that people were saying, but she was not nonchalant about it either. She wasn't surprised with the accusations that they threw at her. Looking at it from an outside perspective, one where there was no real information shared, she could understand their assumptions. She walked into a church engaged to one man, then walked out married to his half-brother. Instead of answering questions as to how that happened, she locked herself away.

She was neither sad nor angry – she was embarrassed. Despite the strong front she was putting on for her family and friends, the seed of embarrassment wedged itself deep in her chest. It was taking root and growing while all eyes in Tokyo were watching; attempting to figure out her love life.

_She_  didn't even have a handle on her own love life and now it was the topic of extreme scrutiny from all angles.

This moment was a result of hasty actions without thinking of the large consequences.

It hurt to think that she had so little control over her own life at this moment. Maybe she was being hypocritical. She didn't regret what had occurred, but there were moments over the last few days that she wished her pigheadedness had not gotten the better of her. She should have thought this through, these were real life decisions with real-life consequences. When she read the note that Inuyasha had left her, she should have called everything off. He left for a  _reason_  and she should have respected that.

Look at where her actions got her now.

Packing up her tiny little apartment and moving into a home with a man who – for some unknown reason – agreed to marry her.

Sango was next to her then, humming in agreement to her earlier notion while throwing an arm around slender shoulders. "We did make some great memories in this apartment," she stated with a smile on her lips. Her chocolate orbs were directed inward, most likely reminiscing over all that occurred in the loft.

"Remember that time we ended up having a water balloon fight in here?" Sango questioned, turning towards Kagome, eyes filled with laughter.

Kagome answered with a roll of her cobalt hues before reaching up and playfully tugging on a lock of her friend's russet hair. "Yeah, my landlord wasn't too happy about that one. I blame the entire situation on you, by the way."

Kagome paused in her reprimand for a moment, bringing her pointer finger to the tip of her chin, tapping it lightly as she contemplated something.

"Isn't that the time that Miroku slipped down the stairs, bruising his tailbone?" Kagome asked, glancing towards Sango while raising a brow.

Sango stiffened, her shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. "Yes," she choked out between repressed giggles before full-blown laughter tumbled out of her throat. Her arm dropped from around Kagome's shoulder as she turned on her heel towards the entrance of the apartment. "That's called karma," She stated a sing-song voice, before she added, "Serves him right for all the  _derrieres_ he's groped over the years."

Sango bent down to pick up one of the boxes by the front door. "If I recall, he cried like a little baby, saying that someone needed to ice it for him."

It was Kagome's turn to laugh out loud at the memory, hiding her humor behind her hand as she turned to join the other woman. She bent down to retrieve the file box that she had brought down earlier. "Yeah, we had to draw straws to see who would end up doing it. Luckily neither of us did. I can still see the look on Inuyasha's face…"

Sango froze on her way out the door, glancing back towards Kagome with that  _look_  in her brown gaze. It was the same expression that she caught Sango giving her over the last couple of days. It was swimming with a mix of emotions that Kagome couldn't always read. Some of the more proponent ones were sadness, regret, and  _pity_. Kagome really didn't know how to react when she was the subject of this type of scrutiny. It was like a heavy weight was boring down on her –  _suffocating her_  – making it harder and harder to breathe.

"It's alright Sango. It's not like he's a taboo subject. I can't exactly hide from him, his face is plastered all over the news," Kagome waved one of her hands as to dismiss the whole thing, hefting the box she was reaching for into her grasp.

Sango frowned in response, her gaze now holding a twinge of disbelief that anything in this situation could be brushed off so easily.

"Either way," Sango started in an extremely sincere voice. It was  _too_  kind. Kagome had to mentally steal herself for whatever was about to come. "You deserve better than this Kagome. You deserve better than what he did to you."

Kagome stared at her friend for a long moment before exhaling a slowly, shoulders slumping slightly. She continued through the front door of her apartment without comment, passing right by Sango. What she did might have been considered rude, but she did not want to have this discussion right now. Walking down the hallway towards the elevator, she could feel Sango's eyes boring into her back, following her every movement. Kagome fought the urge to squirm under the intense inquiry.

She waited at the end of the hall for the lift to come. It was a tensely silent few moments before Kagome's ears picked up the shuffle of someone walking down the corridor. She felt Sango's presence next to her – felt the warmth emanating off of her friend's body. With the close proximity that they now were sharing, Sango was a hard person to attempt to ignore, not that Kagome really wanted to. She just didn't really know how to perceive her friend in that moment, she felt  _shameful._ Kagome may not have regretted her actions and where they were leading her, but she couldn't help the feeling of dishonor with what this was doing to those around her. Kagome refused to look up towards to older woman and Sango huffed a small sigh in response to the shift in mood.

"We don't have to talk about it now, but we do have to talk about what happened at the ceremony eventually," Sango murmured quietly. "You've been avoiding the entire situation for the last few days. If that is how you want to handle it, that is fine. I would never judge you for it…but now, you're about to move into a home with a man you know nothing about. This entire situation is extremely daunting and you need an outlet whether you think you do or not."

Kagome's mind flashed to an image of her silver-haired, golden-eyed husband. She had not seen Sesshomaru since the wedding. He was perfectly impassive throughout the remaining portions of the service, performing all of the duties required of him with little prompting. Even when it came to their ceremonial kiss, he didn't seem to hesitate. Though, Kagome wouldn't call what they shared a kiss. It would be better described as a greeting between old friends more than anything else.

When the time had come, Kagome's heart was beating so rapidly in her chest it was deafening, her pulse thrumming in her ears. She was surprised that no one else could hear it. It felt like it was echoing – drowning out all the other background noise. He began to lean down towards her and halfway through his decent she had closed her eyes. She didn't think she could watch this man – this stranger – finish off the ceremony that was going to formally bind them together as one.

She was surprised when she felt the brief press of lips in the corner of her mouth. It was caste, over just as quickly as it had begun. The one thing Kagome recalled was that his lips were undeniably soft where they pressed against her own.

Sango paused to take a deep breath before stating slowly, in a hushed tone than before, "I would never force you to tell me about what you're going through and I can only imagine the things that are going on in that head of yours, but when you're ready to talk about it, just know that I'm here. I'll always be here."

Kagome looked over at the taller woman from underneath her lashes. She felt the tension – that she didn't realize she was carrying – release from her shoulders, her entire body slumping forward minutely.

There was an obnoxious  _ding!_  that signaled the arrival of the elevator, breaking the moment. Sango wasted no time walking into the lift once the doors opened, though Kagome hesitated for a second, finally locking gazes with her friend.

"Thank you," Kagome whispered so quietly that she wasn't sure if Sango had heard her. It was the quick quirk in the corner of Sango's mouth that signaled she had. Kagome crossed the threshold into the elevator, cerulean hues glancing towards the numbers that began to light up, marking their descent.

Nothing else was said between the two. Right now, Kagome didn't trust her voice. Her throat was dry and any attempt to swallow in order to quell the feeling had a choking effect.

' _I could do this,'_  She thought to herself in an attempt to gather some type of courage.

She  _would_  do this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading!
> 
> You can always find me on tumblr, stop by and say hi! (itsmillertimexx)


	3. Home Sweet Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry for the delay in this chapter! I had a difficult time thinking about how I wanted the house and setting to be. I don't feel like I described it well, but this is the best my brain could come up with.
> 
> I am going to try and start the next chapter at the end of this week and have it out as soon as possible.
> 
> Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate!

 

The sky, which already was depressingly dark with rain clouds, seemed to grow even more ominous as the car drew closer to the iron gates.

The thirty-minute drive outside the city limits was spent in comfortable silence between the two women. Guided by an address provided to Kagome via Izayoi, the venture into the countryside was a time that both occupants of the car took to inwardly reflect. Their previous conversation outside of Kagome's apartment was still fresh in both of their minds and despite her worry for her friend, Sango wanted to be true to her word.

She would give Kagome the space she needed – the time to process – and she knew that soon enough the two would be able to discuss this taboo affair freely. Although she knew she was doing the right thing by not pushing the circumstance, it didn't stop Sango from continuing to pass worried glances towards Kagome every few minutes throughout the car ride. The brunette was attempting to assess where her friend was emotionally. Her endeavor proved to be fruitless, however, due to Kagome remaining silent and closed off throughout the entire journey. Sango couldn't gauge how Kagome was feeling and that worried her even more.

How long could the young woman put up this front?

If... _when_  her walls crumbled down, would Sango be there? Would  _anyone_  be there for her?

A sense of panic set in as the brunette thought about how she couldn't help Kagome during this entire situation. To watch your best friend struggle and not be able to go anything about it? It made her feel absolutely powerless.

Kagome was taking the time to think about everything and anything. Her mind couldn't wrap itself around one notion or thought before jumping to another. The common denominator of her reflection was her father. Flashes of childhood memories played throughout her mind's eye. Every important recollection of the time she had shared with her sire replaying over and over within her head. It offered her some sort of comfort; the thoughts of his smile, his boisterous laugh, the love he held for his family. It was soothing to her emotional dismay.

She toiled with each passing day over the last week, attempting to work herself into a strengthened front. She would not crumble; she promised herself that she would pull through. Kagome would show the board members that she would work harder than those around her. She refused to keep her head down; to bow out and let them win.

Her frustration – the one emotion that she prided herself on not showing frequently – mounted higher and higher over the last few months before the wedding. Between the planning, the company, and her family, Kagome felt like she was being pulled in three different directions. No matter what advice she took from Touga, she knew that there was nothing that she could do to show the board that she could run Higurashi Tech. as well as her father had. Her aggression reared its ugly head the moment she found out that she had been left at the altar. Kagome wanted to shout, throw a tantrum of unadulterated proportions, to beat her fists on the ground like a toddler.

She just wanted to let it out –  _let everything out_.

But…she didn't – she wouldn't.

She was going to learn how to deal with this, the storm that was brewing inside of her. It was like she was drowning. The thoughts in her head were weighing down upon her and she was barely managing to stay above the surface of the ever-changing waters. Panic consumed her like a flame, the tightness in her chest coiling into an uncomfortable bubble of trepidation. Her emotions were a maelstrom. There were so many triggers - so many damages from the past year that she wished to be washed away. She knew she needed to learn to find her calm, to center herself in her own shifting world.

That was what this was...this marriage.

It was a grounding experience.

Something that she could learn to use to her advantage. She would continue to get by, to address this internal uproar. Her starting point was right here, right now.

She needed to  _learn_ , to  _experience_ , to  _grow_ , but not for anyone else.

She needed to do this for herself. She would never become the woman her father knew she would be if she didn't attack this circumstance head-on. Kagome would do this on her own and she would be better because of it.

Thoughts of her current marital status began to seep into the foreground of her mind, demanding to be examined and reexamined again and again. She was simply tired of trying to figure everything out. No amount of analysis was going to turn back the clock, no amount of questioning was going to change who she was married to. She could ask herself  _why_  over and over again, but that question would remain unanswered.

She was here due to her choices and there was no going back on them.

Kagome made her bed, it was her time to lie in it. There was no time to regret.

 _This was her square one_.

-o-

As the metal gates loomed closer into view, Kagome seemed to snap out of her self-induced haze. A small rush of dread crawled its way up her spine. This was  _it_. There was no going back from this once she crossed that metallic threshold.

' _Now is_ not _the time to get skittish,'_  she reprimanded internally.

"Are you ready?" Sango probed, slanting her chocolate gaze towards Kagome, that apprehensive look encompassing her face once more.

At the sound of her friend's voice, Kagome realized that the car had stopped and they were sitting idle at the entrance of her new home.

 _Sesshomaru's home_.

Tension permeated throughout her being, forcing her to sit ramrod straight. The strain caused her shoulders to hunch slightly towards her ears, unease thrumming throughout her body and burrowing its way into the pit of her belly. Time seemed to stand still for a moment; her rapid heartbeat echoing within her ears was all she could hear.

Her attention wandered to all the possibilities of how this situation could have played out, how it  _would_  play out. What the next few days –  _the next few years –_ held for her. It scared her. There were so many plausible instances that could occur.

What would happen to her father's company in a few months' time? Would she run it correctly?

Would she be able to live up to his expectations? To the expectations of the Taisho family? Of all the important people in her life?

Most of all, would she be happy? Could she find some sense of peace in this marriage?

 _Would_ he _be happy?_

' _Get it together Kagome,'_ her mind offered. ' _Think of what is at stake. You_ can _do this.'_

Eventually, the onyx-haired woman released a breath that she didn't realize she was holding. The exhale deflated her tension in her body with a quick  _'whoosh_.' She felt her pulse slowly return to normal, the ringing in her ears eventually subsiding. Turning her sheepish blue gaze towards Sango, Kagome gave a hesitant nod of her head.

Upon being given permission, Sango rolled the window of her car down and leaned out to press the call button on the gate's security box. No sooner had Sango rolled her window back up did the gateway came to life with a hum of an electric motor and a loud groan of metal.

Sango impatiently drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, waiting for the slow-moving gate to give enough room for the car to venture through. When the time had come, Sango placed a foot on the gas, lurching the car into motion once more.

With the house finally revealed without obstruction, Kagome took the time to absorb her surroundings. She was originally surprised to note how far outside of Tokyo Sesshomaru had lived. Initially, she had been expecting a penthouse suite in the center of the city much like his younger half-brother. With the address directing them outside the city limits, her mind wandered to notions of a grandiose mansion like the one his father and step-mother resided in.

To say that the American-style farmhouse before her was a shock would be an understatement.

The gravel driveway was in the shape of an 'h', giving the homeowner a small section in the front for a secluded little garden that followed the curve of the path. The expanse of the garden was filled with a wide array of wildflowers; a range of purples, oranges, and yellows melding together. Cutting the garden in half was a small stone path that lead to a circular encampment in the middle of all of the blossoms. Housed in the center of the stones was a modest sized three-tiered water fountain and an accompanying stone bench. The front yard was a lush, vibrantly green, and surprisingly inviting.

The closer they drew to the dwelling, Kagome noted that though it was a farmhouse, it was grand as well as wide. Despite the large arches and pointed roofing, she could easily tell that it was only one story meaning there would have been vaulted ceilings on the interior. It was a light blue-gray in color with complimenting white trim along the siding. There were two open-faced bay windows that framed the large oak front door, white molding wrapped around each of the glass panes and the entryway.

The front porch was made up of light washed brick colored paving stones, wrapping around both sides of the house. It was an open deck, no fencing or railings containing it. There were large alabaster Victorian-style columns that ran along the edge, separated by a few feet. The columns connected the patio to the awning above. The porch was covered the various forms of pearly painted wicker furniture. Nestled in the far-right corner, where two corridors of the veranda met, was a timber porch swing held in permanent suspension by four accompanying silver chains.

Perched at the top of the 'h' shaped driveway, on the left side of the house, was a detached two car garage of the same color scheme. There was a small array of windows periodically scattered along the upper expanse of the garage, meaning there was most likely a second floor.

The vision before her was simple, yet beautiful. It was not over the top, nor was it her idea of what Sesshomaru's style was, but it gave off an appealing atmosphere.

It radiated the allure of comfort;  _of home_.

Before Kagome even realized, the car had stopped its advance, resting in front of the stone stairs that lead up to the front door. Neither woman had the chance escape the car before the front door opened and three people quickly piled out, two men followed by one woman, filling the space that was recently unoccupied. Her breath hitched in anticipation, but after quickly perusing the inhabitants of the patio, Kagome relaxed slightly. None of the occupants under the awning were her husband and she wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed by that discovery.

' _He has more important things to do than to help you move in,'_ she rebuked mentally.

Something warm enveloped her hand, causing Kagome to flinch, azure hues widening as she searched for the source of her sudden scare. Her eyes landed on Sango's slender, manicured fingers which were encompassing her own in a reassuring squeeze.

"Are you ready?" The brunette asked in a soft voice. Kagome stared at her best friend, observing the comforting compassion dancing within her gaze. There was a long moment of silence, broken only by the sky finally giving way to the impending rain that had been threatening to fall all morning. The pitter-patter of the downfall resonated throughout the car.

"You can do this Kagome," Sango stated encouragingly.

For the first time in the last four days, Kagome felt herself smile, a  _true_  smile. It may not have reached her eyes, but the spark of life within those murky cobalt depths was undeniable.

"Yes," Kagome rasped softly, squeezing her friend's hand in return. "I can do this."

She didn't know why, but that verbal acknowledgment gave Kagome a fresh wave of confidence. Sango released Kagome from her grasp before making her way out of the car, Kagome taking a deep reassuring breath before following behind her.

"Lady Kagome!" One of the males from the group on the deck called, breaking away from the other two and bustling down the stairs. Sango was around the car and at her side then, a welcomed source of warmth in the drizzle of rain.

The man approached the two women with undisguised haste, two black umbrellas open within his grasp. One of the canvases provided him with coverage from the onslaught of precipitation and the closer he drew towards them, Kagome realized his intention to provide them with shelter by using the other.

He was young in appearance, couldn't have been much older than herself. The male's hair was the brightest shade of red she had ever seen. It was a mix of copper and crimson tones, coupled with a pair of piercing emerald eyes that seemed to glow even in the haze of the rainfall. His skin was sun-kissed, a few shades darker than her own. His body was lean, but not in the lanky sense. She could easily tell he was well toned underneath the black flannel shirt and jeans that he wore. He would easily tower over her by a few inches if they were standing next to one another and Kagome assumed that he had to be from some type of foreign descent. His exotic coloring was rarely seen in Japan. He would, without a doubt, stand out in a crowd. The roguish boy-like charm that he presented would have him at the center of attention within any group of people. He was handsome in a unique sense of the word and that most likely left him as the object of attention of many, many women.

"Lady Kagome! Welcome!" He exclaimed again as he reached them, eyes sparkling while a large toothy grin lit up his features. He extended the additional umbrella towards them, providing a welcome seclusion from the downpour. Kagome immediately motioned to take the handle from his grasp, though he subtly evaded her movement. Before she could comment, he continued on with his introduction.

"It is so nice to finally meet you," he said, his voice filled with uninhibited excitement. "My name is Shippo, I'm groundskeeper here."

The raven-haired woman was caught off guard by the enthusiasm Shippo presented. Kagome knew that Sesshomaru would have employed some type of housing staff. Even Inuyasha had a few personnel that cooked and cleaned up around his apartment. What she wasn't expecting, however, was any of the employees to be  _eager_ to meet her like this young man was. She wasn't uncomfortable with the notion of having help around the house, having grown up with her own tutors and housing staff. Nevertheless, they mostly kept to themselves, the need for them to converse with her outside of their scope of work was slim to none. The forthcoming demeanor of this young man was a welcomed surprise.

Taking a moment to muse her damp bangs from her eyes, Kagome bowed her head slightly in greeting.

"It is very nice to meet you Shippo," she supplied politely. Half turning towards Sango, Kagome gestured towards her friend with a wave of her hand. "This is Sango Ito, my best friend."

Sango, in response to her introduction, bowed her head as well. "Nice to meet you," She hummed in a friendly tone, offering a small smile which Shippo easily returned.

"A pleasure, Lady Sango," Shippo stated before gesturing with a small inclination of his head at the house. "Let's get you two girls out of the rain, shall we?"

Both women began to feel the damp chill of the rain and eager to be away from its clutches, instantly fell into step with Shippo as he led them towards the veranda steps.

"I hope you don't mind that Sango came along with me," Kagome stated rather awkwardly. Her hands began to fidget, fingers melding together in front of her as they walked. "As my best friend, it's kind of her duty to help me out whenever I'm in need and that includes moving."

Kagome didn't know why she was apologizing for Sango being present, but she felt the need to fill in any gaps that would cause the conversation to lapse. The whole ordeal as already as uncomfortable as it could possibly get.

She was venturing into uncharted territory.

It wasn't to say any of the housing staff would be unpleasant people, but she didn't know them. With Sango being the only familiar face, Kagome felt secure, and she was determined to make this transition as smooth as possible with her best friend by her side. Kagome was going to take his politeness and roll with it. Hopefully, that would help ease the uncomfortable pressure.

"It's no problem Lady Kagome," Shippo assured her in a friendly tone. "You are more than welcome to invite whoever you want here. It is your home after all."

"Yes," Kagome murmured quietly in response. "I suppose it is." The downtrodden quality she used was not missed by either Shippo or Sango, the former of whom offered her a small reassuring smile.

"You'll like it here, I promise," Shippo whispered for only her to hear, gently nudging her shoulder with his own. Kagome smiled hesitantly as a reply, nodding her head in agreement.

When the trio finally reached the shelter of the porch, Kagome surveyed the other two figures hidden under the archway. The other gentleman was short, coming up to only her shoulder in height, and somewhat stocky. He was dressed formally in a dark-gray haori and hakama. She didn't think anyone besides her grandfather dressed in those garments anymore, but one quick glance at his gray hair made Kagome realize that he could have been old enough  _to be_  her grandfather. Besides the color of his locks and the crow's feet that creased in the corners of his large black eyes, there was really no sign of his advanced age. His fare skin didn't sag; it was free of age spots and scars. Kagome unwittingly wished that she would age as nicely as this gentleman seemed to.

The woman standing off to his right seemed to be closer to her own age and height, if only slightly taller. Her skin was an olive tone, her body supple and slender underneath maroon skater-style dress she was wearing. Onyx hair cascaded over her right shoulder in soft curls and her eyes were a deep ruby red melding into a dark brown towards the iris. The dark lashes that framed her hues along with the slenderly arched eyebrows gave Kagome the impression of a cunning feline. She had that same air of exoticness as Shippo. Those eyes, alight with nothing but welcoming hospitality, were not native to Japan. This woman was a natural beauty and Kagome was struck with a small pang of jealousy at the striking picture she presented.

"Lady Kagome, it is an absolute pleasure," The older gentleman greeted once they reached the sanctuary of the porch. He stepped towards her, reaching out to grasp one of her hands in both of his own. His hands were welcomed warmth against her own icy skin. Whether she held a chill from the rain or from apprehension towards her current predicament, Kagome didn't know. His charcoal eyes were glowing with unrepressed fondness and Kagome couldn't help but grin in response.

"Allow me to introduce myself," he started, releasing her hand before taking a step back and bowing his head. "My name is Myouga and I am the steward of this house."

"And I'm Souten," The woman to his right called in a tender voice, taking a step towards the two. "I'm the housekeeper and tutor."

Kagome vaguely wondered why Sesshomaru would need a tutor in his house, but quickly brushed the thought aside. She smiled charmingly towards both of them and once again bowed her head in greeting before turning towards Sango, placing a hand on the brunette's shoulder.

"It's a pleasure to meet both of you," Kagome hummed with a small smile. "Please, allow me to introduce my friend Sango." Sango bobbed her head politely and offered a small wave of her hand.

"You must be excited to get settled," Myouga commented, closing the distance between himself and Kagome once more. He placed one of his hands on the small of her back, pushing forward and guiding her in the direction of the front door.

"Let's get you both inside and dried off before we get you all unpacked, hm?"

Kagome opened her mouth to protest, looking back over her shoulder towards her friend. She saw that Souten began to escort Sango along towards the door as well, their arms linked at the elbows. Sango's expressions showed that she was just as hesitant about being lead around as Kagome was. Sensing their doubt, the olive-skinned woman offered them both a reassuring smile.

A flash of movement caught Kagome's attention and her eyes slanted towards Shippo who was ducking out from the shelter of the awning and venturing back out into the rain towards the car.

As if he sensed her question, Myouga stated, "Don't worry about your things dear, Shippo will fetch them for us."

Kagome snapped her mouth shut, nodding dumbly as she allowed herself to be ushered through the oak archway.

"Welcome to your new home, Lady Kagome."

-o-

The interior of the home was just as simplistically elegant as the exterior. The front door gave way to an open ground floor with walls that were an off-beige hue, gracefully decorated with paintings of scenic nature. Accenting the warm brown was matching white crown and base molding, which also encompassed the interior of the bay windows. The floors were a poly stained dark wood, leading from the foyer down through the expanse of the house and ending where she believed the entryway to the kitchen was, on the other side of the large room.

Immediately to her right was an archway that fed into a corridor leading deeper into the right wing of the house. Kagome made to step into the hallway, noting that there were a few doors at the end, but before she could explore further Myouga ushered her off towards the left. He lead her into a sunken living room, taking the two steps down into the carpeted family room. Khe ran her hand along the back of the large, leather, dark brown couch as the older gentleman continued to guide her forward. Paired with the sofa were two matching love seats, all three circled around a low-set glass top coffee table. She wasn't surprised to see the large television that was mounted on the wall. Kagome was sure that the plasma screen was wider than she and Sango were tall.

She didn't have time to take in the finer details of the space as she was continuously directed across the living room towards the left wing of the house. The group entered a short hallway tucked back behind the living room which housed one door at the end.

"Here is your room Lady Kagome," Myouga said. "I apologize that it's not much right now, but we do have furniture being delivered in the next few days that should really tie it all together."

Kagome paused, her step faltering on the words ' _your room.'_

Again, this was something that she didn't put any thought into when she realized that she was going to be moving into Sesshomaru's home. The idea of a husband and wife sharing a room –  _a_ _bed_  – was a given. She didn't really think of the sleeping arrangements until this point.

That seemed to be something that she was doing a lot lately, overlooking the important factors that were going to hold direct effects on her daily life. She was silently grateful that Sesshomaru had the forethought to think of these things. Kagome wouldn't know what she would have done if she were to arrive here and had no designated place to settle into because, she was more than sure, Sesshomaru would not be allowing her to stay in  _his room_.

' _I probably would have camped out in the living room,'_ she silently mused.

It seemed too quiet around her and Kagome blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. She realized that everyone was staring at her, waiting for some type of reaction or confirmation that she heard what Myouga had said.

A small embarrassed blush rose on her cheeks and Kagome waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. "I'm sure it is going to be fine Myouga," She answered with a hesitant smile.

Myouga accepted her comment and returned the grin before he opened the door, crossing into the room with Kagome falling into step behind him.

The room was larger than her entire den back at her old apartment. It was bare, besides the large, queen sized, western-style four-posted bed against the wall across from her. The walls were a light gray-lilac hue, paired with the same alabaster crown and base molding that ran throughout the rest of the house. She was surprised that her room had carpet and not wood floors, the color being a shade darker than the paint on the walls. There was another large bay window built into the left wall, bigger than the other two that were by the front door. It easily provided space for someone to actually sit upon the self and the sill was covered with pillows of various sizes and assorted shades of off-whites and purples.

Along the right wall, there were two doors. Kagome crossed the room, reaching out for the door that was closest to her. It lead into a modest-sized walk-in closet that was currently empty. It would without a doubt hold all of her clothing with plenty of space left over which she could potentially fill. Venturing from the closet, Kagome walked towards the other door and poked her head into what was revealed to be her own personal bathroom. The walls were a pristine, wallpapered white with golden patterns. The ceramic tile on the floor was also white and matched the shade of the granite which made up the expanse of the vanity's countertop. Above the counter was a large mirror accented with light bulbs that ran around the edge, easily providing the illumination for the entire room. Tucked into the far wall across from the entryway was a glass-encased, step-in shower with golden trimmings.

Overall, Kagome was at a complete loss for words.

She was pretty sure that the shock was registered on her face and wasn't she giving any attempt to hide it. This was more than what she bargained for. Kagome was no stranger to some of the finer things, having grown up the way she had, but she was not expecting to be graced with her own little sanctuary. From what she knew, Inuyasha being her prime source, Sesshomaru was a difficult person to deal with. He was extremely detached and focused solely on himself. Inuyasha always used to complain that he was a workaholic, who was socially inept and just a downright  _'bastard'._

Looking at all of this, however, Kagome wasn't so sure that someone who was described as selfish would put this together.

He didn't have to explain it in words. Kagome easily recognized that Sesshomaru was trying to make her as comfortable as possible by offering her a room to herself. The thought that he might be at a complete loss when it came to this situation, just as she was, brought a small smile to Kagome's lips.

She turned back from the bathroom then, taking in the overall room. She might not have noticed it before, not at a quick first glance, but now that she sat here inspecting the room from another angle, Kagome recognized that everything about it screamed out ' _new'._ Despite the lack of an acrylic smell, the walls had a fresh coat of paint. The color was exceptionally vibrant and didn't show any signs of being well worn. The carpet looked barely walked upon as well, which meant it must have been newly purchased and installed.

For someone who was so self-centered, Sesshomaru seemed to put a lot of thought into her integration into his home. The small smile that had been gracing her features slowly grew into a large grin.

Sango's childish squeal of delight echoed throughout the room, breaking Kagome from her reverie. She looked towards her friend and choked on a laugh, watching as the older woman belly-flopped –  _ungracefully_  – onto the mattress.

"What on earth are you doing?" Kagome asked, laughter filtering through her voice. Myouga released a small chuckle witnessing the other woman's antics, while Souten hid her giggles behind her hand.

Sango rolled off of her stomach and onto her back, propping herself up on her elbows so that she could look Kagome in the eye. "This bed just looked so comfortable I had to try it out for myself," Sango joked. "It's heavenly, by the way. Much better than that lumpy thing you called a bed at home."

Kagome gasped, feigning a hurt expression. "You never complained about that  _lumpy thing_ when you've stayed over," she pointed out.

"Well, I would rather sleep on the lumpy mattress than the lumpy couch!" Sango exclaimed, flopping down onto her back with her arms extended. "I definitely need to get me one of these." Kagome rolled her eyes, shaking her head at her friend's shenanigans.

Shippo appeared in the doorway then, two boxes stacked on top of each other within his grasp. "Lady Kagome, where would you like me to put these?" He questioned.

"You can place them over by the closet Shippo," She answered quickly, giving him proper direction so that he could ease his burden.

When the young man deposited the cardboard load by the entryway to the wardrobe, Kagome took a step towards the three attendants and bowed from the waist, her hands clasped in front of her. Rising from her formal curtsey, Kagome beamed towards the three, who were all wearing equal looks of confused shock – Myouga looked downright  _horrified_.

"Before we get started in unpacking and get lost in the day, I wanted to thank you all," Kagome started in a warm tone. "You've been nothing but welcoming and I hope that we can all get along while I'm here."

"Lady Kagome you don't ha–," Myouga attempted to rebuff her, but Kagome cut him off with a raised hand.

"Please, I want to think of us as friends from this moment on. All of us," She punctuated her statement by flicking her gaze towards Shippo and Souten. "I'm no Lady and I would prefer if you didn't think of me as such. Kagome will do just fine," She replied, blue eyes shining with sincerity that matched her words. "And that also means you don't have to call that overgrown child over there," Kagome jerked a thumb over her shoulder towards Sango, who was still contently rolling around on the mattress. "A Lady either."

"Hey!" Sango called out in response.

Myouga pursed his lips for a moment, Shippo and Souten sparing each other a glance before looking towards the elder. Feeling all eyes of the room boring down upon him, the older gentleman released a small sigh before the corners of his mouth quirked up into a small smirk. "I can see why Lord Touga likes you so much, you aren't conventional. He always said you had a knack for not following the rules."

Kagome smiled brightly under the praise. "I'll take that as a compliment. Now," She stated, clapping her hands together once. "Let's see if we can get some of these boxes unpacked, shall we?"

-o-

The remainder of the afternoon was spent in that fashion, the group unloading the car and setting up the room to Kagome's specifications. With the lack of furniture, Kagome made sure to utilize the walk-in closet, for the time being, placing all of the boxes with her work files and books in the back. Myouga fretted to and fro, despite Kagome's assurances that it was no issue, promising her that she would have a desk, bookshelf, and armoire arriving by the end of the week.

They told stories while they emptied out all the containers. Kagome and Sango shared tales from their youth and the trouble they used to get involved in, Myouga shared accounts from his early years serving the Taishos, and Souten and Shippo recalled different points that occurred in their chaotic romance. Kagome was surprised to find out that Shippo and Souten, both of whom were only a year older than she was, were newlyweds much like herself. They met while they were studying abroad at a university in the United States. Kagome was smugly pleased to find out that she was correct in her previous assumption of their foreign descent. Souten's mother was Greek which explained her dark skin tone; while Shippo's father was from the United Kingdom, explaining the bright eyes and red hair.

Kagome was almost envious of their romance, the passing glances that they shared as they recited different memories. It was easy to see how much they cared for one another…well that was until Souten shared a particular story about the day that she first met her husband. Apparently, Souten hated Shippo's cheap pick up line so much that she, after ten minutes of knowing him, decided to punch him in the face. Shippo, much to everyone's amusement, sulked the entire time his wife shared this particular tale.

Myouga chimed in here and there, primarily focusing on making sure the room was put in order rather than sharing any stories. He never mentioned anything about a wife or significant other and Kagome wondered if he was a widower or never married at all. She knew better than to ask a personal question like that, but she couldn't help but ponder. It was easy to see that he took immense pride in his work. Especially with the way he told a few accounts about Touga in his younger years and how he had to wrangle Inuyasha as a toddler. In Kagome's opinion, those stories were the highlight of her afternoon.

When everything was unpacked and situated to her liking, Sango took her leave in order to catch up on some of the work that she skipped out on while helping with the move. The brunette scurried out of the house with promises to call Kagome later on and that they would schedule a lunch date sometime during the week.

"Are you hungry Kagome?" Souten asked as the group entered the living room. "Despite being the groundskeeper, Shippo does make a great oden and I'm not just saying that because I'm his wife."

At the mention of food, Kagome's stomach released an audible growl. She could feel the burn of an embarrassed flush upon her pale cheeks and, awkwardly, Kagome patted her stomach hoping it would quell the noise. Souten had a knowing smirk on her lips and Shippo barely contained his chuckles, shoulders shaking with the movement.

"We usually have dinner prepared at this time, but it seemed that getting you settled in took longer than we all anticipated," Myouga commented.

"Ah, well..." Kagome mumbled, still embarrassed. Her gaze settled on the wall clock that hung by the front door. Myouga was right, it was well past the time that she thought it was. As if not believing the time the clock displayed, she shifted her blue orbs towards the window, taking in the dying embers of the sun.

"It's already half past six," Kagome said, turning back towards the group. "What time do you all go home for the night?"

"Well," Myouga replied, straightening out his posture. "That depends on when Lord Sesshomaru dismisses us after he gets home."

"What time does Sesshomaru come home?" She queried, relatively curious to see when her husband would make an appearance.

" _Depends_  on when he feels like it," Shippo grumbled, only to yelp a moment later after receiving a sharp elbow to his ribs delivered by his wife.

"Why don't you all head home?" Kagome offered, giggling lightly. "You've done more than enough today, I think I can handle putting together one meal for Sesshomaru and me."

Shippo brightened at the idea, though Souten seemed somewhat hesitant. The light in her eyes seemed to glow at the idea of being able to finish her work for the day. Myouga looked like he was ready to downright refuse, but before he could shoot down her idea, Kagome spoke again.

"It might be easier," Kagome started, locking eyes with the older gentleman. "When he comes home…," Kagome paused for a moment, mouth snapping shut as she thought of the right words to say. She seemed to collect herself only after a short interlude.

"It might- It might be easier for the both of us to ease into this situation without everyone else here," She finished with a soft voice.

The argument that was forming on Myouga's tongue died away instantly at her words, his onyx orbs softening into a look that showed nothing but understanding.

"Alright, Kagome," He relented. Shippo released a whoop of triumph and ran towards the coat rack by the front door in order to retrieve his and his wife's coats. The remaining three followed behind the young man at a more leisurely pace.

"The right wing of the house is the private bedrooms and Lord Sesshomaru's office. I suggest staying out of that wing," Myouga lectured as they walked towards the front door. Shippo began helping Souten into her coat, Myouga reaching for his own. Kagome found herself wondering exactly what he meant by  _bedrooms,_ but instead of interrupting the older man, she kept her mouth shut.

"All of our contact information is next to the house phone in the kitchen if you need any of us don't hesitate to call."

"Myouga she's a grown woman in her own house, not a child. Relax a little bit," Shippo joked, throwing on his own coat.

"I'm just making sure she's comfortable!" The other male snapped.

"I'll be fine Myouga," Kagome assured. "If I need anything, I'll make sure to call."

"We'll be here early in the morning Myouga, she'll be fine." Souten chimed in reassuringly.

Deflating with a small huff, Myouga reached out to clasp Kagome's hand in both of his own once more. "Well see you tomorrow Kagome."

The petite woman offered him a smile and nodded her head. "Get home safe all of you. I'll see you in the morning."

Breaking from their joined hands, Kagome took a step back and waved as the three piled out of the door, the click of the lock echoing in the now silent home.

"Well," She mumbled to herself, turning around and ambling down the main corridor towards the kitchen, "Let's see what we can whip up for dinner."

-o-

The shifting  _'click'_  of the lock being turned echoed in the foyer, the front door opening to reveal an irritated-looking Sesshomaru.

Today was simply not his day.

The merger was not running as smoothly as he had originally anticipated. Much to his increasing chagrin, the board members of Higurashi Tech. were questioning every aspect of the contract. No doubt, they were attempting to reassure themselves that their positions were secured, but they were forcing him to re-examine and re-explain every notion that the paperwork clearly stated. Once or twice, he understood, but the fact that this was the  _fifth_  inquiry he received within the last two days was grating on his nerves.

None of this would have been an issue if they simply  _read the contract themselves_.

The frequency in which he found himself wishing Taisho Inc. was not conducting this merger in the first place had steadily increased over the last couple of days.

It also didn't help that his father –  _damn that man_  – changed the policy they were going to implement with employment. Instead of blending the different departments from both companies and then weeding out the incompetent workers as time went on, his sire decided it would be best to review every employee's personnel files and work-history, then select only those who they felt like would be best suited for the positions. Both companies, despite their increased popularity on the international market, were still modest in size. They may not have had thousands of employees, but they still had hundreds and that was not including those in the executive positions.

A task like this would take weeks to complete even with a team of people, but now it needed to be finished within a few days.

Touga felt like the responsibility should be handled by a ' _higher-up'_ and who better to be designated to handle this assignment than his own son?

Sesshomaru released a silent snarl, upper lip curling in distaste. He understood why his father delegated the task to him; eventually, he would be running this company and what better way to know your staff than to be a part of the selection process? He was a stickler when it came to his work, it was not an unknown fact. Despite the need for perfection, however, Sesshomaru did not want to be cooped up in his office for twelve hours out of the day.

Much like how he had done today.

Golden orbs slanted towards the clock on the wall, taking note that the time was well after ten. Releasing a sigh, he shrugged off his suit jacket and tossed it carelessly on the coat rack next to him. He stalked down the hallway that lead towards his room, nimble fingers working the buttons of his dress shirt. He only made it halfway down the corridor before he stopped in his tracks.

Something was  _off_.

There was something missing from his arrival.

It was quiet,  _far too quiet_.

No one was fretting over taking his coat, no one was filling his ears with idle chatter about what went on in his home while he was away, and there was definitely no clatter of someone bustling around the kitchen to put a meal together for him.

_Where the hell was his staff?_

Sesshomaru turned around abruptly, frustration mounting as his long strides carried him back out into the open living room. The house was dimly lit, the fluorescent lights that were on in the kitchen casting a warm glow over the sitting room. His suspicions were confirmed; there was no one under his employment in the house. If there was, they would have made their presence known upon his arrival into the living room, especially Myouga. The elder was notorious for attaching himself to Sesshomaru's hip the moment he entered the house.

The soft melody of Beethoven's  _Moonlight Sonata_  caught his attention, the sound emanating from the dining area and immediately Sesshomaru's stalled steps resumed.

Entering the kitchen, Sesshomaru tried to search out the source of the noise but was disappointed when he found the room empty. A cool breeze shifted his silver locks, golden eyes glancing towards the partially open patio door on the other side of the room. The music guiding him out the glass archway, increasing in volume the closer to the doors he became.

Sesshomaru didn't know what he was expecting to see when he ventured out there, but the sight of his  _wife_  curled up on the enclosed veranda's straw-plaited couch was not it.

Her laptop, the origin of the classical piece, lay open on the table in front of the couch, scattered around it were loose sheets of paper and different file folders. Kagome lay askew on her the left side of her body, head leaning on the armrest of the sofa. Her left leg was tucked underneath her body while her right was haphazardly dangling off.

Irritation long forgotten, he pressed forward, reaching out to her computer and closing it with a soft ' _click',_ successfully ceasing the soft melody. He glanced back towards the woman laying down, amber eyes taking in the picture she presented. The conversation he had with his father earlier that morning replayed in his mind and against his better judgment, Sesshomaru stared down at her left hand that was awkwardly situated in her lap.

He wanted to say that he was agitated, taking note that she  _was not_  wearing her wedding ring, but there was no real fire fueling his anger.

If anything, he was slightly relieved.

Kagome was just as unsure of how to proceed with things as he was. That in and of itself was a small comfort.

Sesshomaru looked towards her face one more, drinking her in. He wouldn't deny that his wife was pretty. She had a kind of understated beauty, one that not many could recognize nor fault off. Perhaps it was because she was so disarmingly unaware of the allure she held. He wasn't sure.

Her snowy skin was flawless, not a blemish or wrinkle to be seen. Her cheekbones weren't especially high and her nose may have been a little too long to be perfect, but there was an undeniable symmetry to her features that made many stop and take a second glance. A heart-shaped face was framed by long, dark, onyx hair, emphasized by large ocean blue eyes which held such an intelligence and serenity. It was nearly impossible for anyone not to be held prisoner by them.

Over the last four days, he tried not to think about her much to the point where he actually she was moving in this afternoon. Out of sight, out of mind. Unfortunately, he could no longer ignore her existence.

Sesshomaru had no real excuse his behavior at the wedding, no real answers for his interruption. If anyone were to ask him outright, he would tell them that it was for the good of his company…and it was, but that might not have been the only reason. It was the look on her face. That face he had seen so many times before, smiling brightly at anyone who she spoke too. Seeing it emanate nothing but heart-wrenching despair stirred something inside of him.

She always intrigued him, this dainty little woman. He typically wouldn't pay attention to anyone of the opposite sex, his business was what was important to him, second only to his family. Kagome, however, was always  _there._  Touga periodically held meetings with her father and Sesshomaru was privy to attend. Somehow, the conversation always lead to her, no matter where the discussion started off. He had caught a glimpse of her from time to time, this mysterious daughter of his father's rival, but he never approached her. There was never any need to.

It wasn't until she defended Inuyasha that his curiosity got the better of him. He may not have agreed with what his father's counterparts were saying about his younger half-sibling, but Sesshomaru wouldn't vocalize his displeasure at their words. It was criticism and whether it was constructive or not, Inuyasha needed to hear it.

This world, the world they lived in, was filled with cutthroats and sniveling beings that wanted to advance their own standing. Inuyasha needed to strengthen his resolve in the face of adversaries, especially when it came to business. What better way for him to do so right then and there while facing the problem. He could make a stand and maybe, just maybe, Inuyasha would prove that he was worth the inheritance that he was being gifted.

Much to his surprise and much to the surprise of everyone else in the room, it was not Inuyasha who stopped the haughty old men in their tacks, it had been Kagome. The fire in her cerulean orbs burned into a smoldering inferno as she put those men in their place. It sparked something within him. He was tempted to intervene, to pull her from the line of fire, but before Sesshomaru could move, she had been whisked away by his half-brother mid-denunciation.

Sesshomaru never before met a woman of her stature who had vocalized her displeasure in such  _colorful_  language. Just the memory of that night made Sesshomaru release an uncharacteristic snort of amusement.

He would never admit it, but it was after that night that he really started to pay attention to her. No matter the function he attended, Sesshomaru always sought her out, silently observing her as she made her way around the room. Kagome was a smart woman, addressing those who she knew would be of value to her when she took over her father's company. What surprised him was that she also kept her opposition close. She knew how to work a conversation in her favor, to keep things light and friendly, even with conversing with the board members who were looking to run her out of her own company.

When his father announced that they would be propositioning a merger with Higurashi Tech., Sesshomaru wasn't thrown off guard. It was only a matter of time and the benefit would be outstanding.

No, what Sesshomaru was astonished by, was that there would be a wedding to seal the deal.

The wedding of Inuyasha and Kagome.

When he thought about it logically, the notion of a ceremony wasn't all that absurd. Many contracts like this were paired with an arranged marriage, even in this day and age. However, he was slightly confused by the pairing.

It may have been haughty of him to presume, but Sesshomaru would have thought his father would have brought the idea of the marriage to him first. He was the firstborn, the rightful heir. Instead, he asked Inuyasha to fulfill the duty.

Maybe that was why he stepped in that day; his pride willing him to fulfill an obligation that his half-brother had easily skipped out on.

Maybe it was because of the  _utter disappointment_  emanating off of his father throughout the first half of the ceremony.

Sesshomaru didn't know the reason, he didn't want to know the reason; he didn't want to dissect or examine it. All that he knew was that they were here now because of his actions and there was no going back. He wasn't necessarily displeased by that either.

Another breeze blew through the screened-in patio, snapping Sesshomaru from his thoughts and causing the woman in front of him to shudder violently.

Huffing softly, he bent down and hooked his right arm underneath her shoulders, propping her up to a sitting position, situating Kagome so that he could then grasp her with his left arm behind her knees. Hefting her up bridal style, Sesshomaru chose not to acknowledge Kagome immediately curling closer to him, seeking his warmth. He journeyed back into the house, deciding to come back out later for her paperwork. It could wait until after he made himself something to eat. Crossing through the doorway, he reached back with his left foot, using it to gently push the sliding glass door closed.

He intended to make his way through the kitchen and back into the living room in order to deposit his charge, but something on the counter caught his eye. Turning his head, Sesshomaru looked at the plate of curry that was expertly cased in plastic wrap with an obnoxious neon-orange sticky note lying beside it.

_Didn't know when you were going_

_to come home or if you would be hungry,_

_but I made curry. Please help yourself!_

_-K_

Golden hues slanted towards the woman in his arms, her head lolled against his shoulder, peach-colored lips parted as she breathed out softly. Sesshomaru's shoulders slumped, the tension that he didn't realize he had been carrying, all but disappearing. He gripped Kagome firmly, pulling her closer to his chest as he continued to make his way towards the living room.

Sesshomaru's new plan was to make sure his wife got tucked into bed safely. Once that was taken care of, he was going to see if Kagome was as good of a cook as Inuyasha claimed her to be.

Reclaiming her paperwork could wait until after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading!
> 
> You can always find me on tumblr, so stop by and say hi! (itsmillertimexx)


	4. The Morning After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so don't kill me, but this is really just a filler chapter. Finals have come up and I've been studying non-stop so that is taking up most of my time. I added this chapter because wanted to get something out there for all of you to hold you over until after the end of the semester.
> 
> With that being said I have most of this story's plot and key points outlined. I also have a majority of the next chapter already written on paper, I just need to transfer it over. Once school is finished I am going to take some time to go back and re-edit all of the previous chapters. I don't have a beta, so I try and catch as much of my mistakes if possible, but I can see that there still needs to be some work re-done. Depending on how busy I get with the holidays and the editing takes me, the next update might not be until after Christmas. I just want to make everything perfect for you guys. (Please don't kill me!)
> 
> Also, I want to take the time to thank all of you for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. I may not answer them all, but I do read every comment and get e-mails related to all the following/favorites. Again, thank you all so much!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, they belong to the lovely Rumiko Takahashi.

Kagome awoke to plush sheets and the soft glow of the morning sun trickling into the room through the crack between the shades. Slowly –  _reluctantly_  - she shed the last remnants of her dream, crawling to mental awareness. Her body was languid, and she was more than content with keeping her eyes closed, basking in the warmth of her covers. She couldn't remember the last time that she felt this relaxed – this peaceful. Everything in the room was still, and she would be damned if she was not going to take the time to laze in this serene moment.

Unfortunately for her, it didn't last very long.

The calm came to an abrupt end when the bedroom door was tossed open in haste, revealing an  _incredib_ _ly_  chipper looking Souten. "Good Morning Kagome!" The olive-skinned woman exclaimed, making her way into the room.

Instead of verbalizing a coherent reply, Kagome released a gurgled wail – a mix between a hiss and a groan – trying to burrow deeper into the safe-haven of her blankets.

"Now don't be like that," Souten ' _tsked,'_  coming into the room so that she could toss open the curtains, illuminating the area in a very irksome bright light.

Kagome, once again, chose not to respond. Instead, she tossed the covers up and over her head, trying to block out the sunlight. Curling her knees towards her chest, Kagome tucked the blankets closer to her balled-up form, continuing to overlook the other occupant of the room discreetly.

If she didn't acknowledge her, Souten would leave the room… _right_?

Her ears picked up the telltale shuffle of feet across the carpet causing her to stiffen. Kagome strained her hearing to figure out where exactly in the room the crimson-eyed woman was wandering to. Despite her effort, Kagome couldn't seem to place her.

Before she even realized, there was an unanticipated, swift yank on her cocoon of sheets. The ebony-haired woman released a muffled cry of outraged protest, but Kagome's weak attempts in keeping her position engulfed within her covers seemed futile in comparison to Souten's desire to get her  _out_  of bed. The battle was quickly lost when Souten successfully jerked the blankets free and divulged Kagome of her hiding spot.

Sticking to her original plan of blatantly ignoring the other woman in the room, Kagome grumbled about the ' _unfairness of it all_ ,' rubbing the heels of her palms over her eyes.

"Don't sulk. It's not becoming," Souten chided.

"I can't believe that I now live in a house with one of  _those_ ," Kagome muttered darkly.

"One of those?" Souten questioned from her perch by the bed, curiosity and amusement lacing her tone. One slender brow arched in question as she waited for Kagome to wake up enough to answer.

" _A morning person_ ," Kagome hissed lowly, blue eyes slanting towards Souten, pinning her with a half-hearted glare.

Souten chuckled at her anger and politely chose to disregard it, not even phased by the shorter woman's scowl. She dropped the blankets into a crumpled heap at the end of the bed before she turned and ventured across the room, heading towards the closet.

"It's relatively warm today," She called out as she slipped into the depths of the sub-room. "It is still humid and sticky from the rain yesterday, but the sun is out." The sounds of hangers shifting accompanied with the rustling of clothes echoed from the closet while she continued to prattle on about the weather.

Kagome shifted on her bed, turning over so that she was laying on her left side facing the wall with the bathroom and closet doors. She took a deep breath, held it for a moment, then released it slowly. Her mind was beginning to come to the bitter conclusion that she  _would not_  be going back to sleep anytime soon. She also realized that any plans to do so would be easily thwarted. Rolling onto her back, the petite woman propped herself up on her elbows, half sitting up. Blue eyes shifted towards the closet which had now become eerily silent.

"What are you doing in there?" Kagome queried, slipping from the mattress.

Her toes curled on the carpet before happily wiggling as she stretched her arms over her head. A tongue curling yawn passing her lips while she that position for a few seconds longer. Kagome dropped her hands to her side, keeping her eyes glued to the open closet door. After several moments of not receiving a response, she shrugged and turned back towards the bed, fretting around the mattress as she put the sheets back in their proper place.

Souten must have come into the main room when her back was turned – how she approached so silently; Kagome didn't know – because her soft voice answered the earlier question from directly behind her.

"Picking out your outfit of course," Souten responded in a very matter-of-fact tone. Upon watching her employer try and –  _horrendously fail_  – at putting the sheets, duvet, and comforter back into their former glory, she asked, "What on earth are  _you doing_?"

"Making the bed," Kagome immediately responded, choosing to overlook the small hint of disparage in Souten's tone.

She liked to think of herself as a neat and tidy person, though she never really had a knack for proper housekeeping. That wasn't going to dispel her from continuing to make the bed, however.

In hopes to change the subject, Kagome added, "You don't have to pick out my clothes, you know."

Patting the comforter lightly when everything was made to her liking, Kagome turned towards the other woman. Souten was holding a formal, black sheath dress in one hand and a white cotton cardigan in the other.

"I know I don't," Souten started, not bothering to even look at Kagome, her eyes taking in the clothing held out in front of her. "But that is not going to stop me. It's my job to make things easier for you, after all."

Souten suddenly frowned, sun-kissed lips drawn down in taunt, tight line. A skeptical light entered those red hues, and before Kagome could question her on what was bothering her, the other woman turned on her heel, backtracking across the room and disappearing once again into the closet. Kagome cast the spot Souten was previously standing in a deadpan look. Shoulders slumping, she dejectedly huffed while making her way towards the bathroom.

"It's not your job to dress me up like a doll," Kagome called out in rebuff.

Flipping on the lights, she almost flinched at the quick and blinding illumination of the room. Venturing towards the vanity, Kagome released a small shudder, bare feet now padding against the cold ceramic tile of the bathroom floor. Turning on the sink, she waited until the water reached a warm temperature before she cupped both hands underneath the faucet, bringing them up towards her face so that she could begin to wash away the last fragments of sleep.

Souten came into view once more, still holding the same dress, but she traded the cardigan for a hunter green blazer. She hung both articles of clothing on the towel hook that was built into the back of the bathroom door, tucking the blazer over the dress as she did so. Taking a step back, Souten surveyed the outfit with those scrutinizing eyes once more. Bringing a hand up to her chin, a slender index finger tapping idly as Souten mulled over whatever it was that she was thinking about so hard.

"I'm thinking black pumps," Souten murmured out loud after a pause, head tilting slightly to the left as her eyes narrowed a fraction. "You could pull off flats, but I feel like they wouldn't look right."

Kagome turned off the sink, patting her face dry with a small towel that was residing on the counter. Tossing away the used cloth, cobalt hues flicked towards Souten. The serious tone that she used during her in-depth fashion analysis caused Kagome to roll her eyes towards the ceiling.

"You would think with the way you are planning out this outfit that I would be attending a red-carpet event."

Souten shrugged her shoulders in response, bringing her both of her hands to rest on her hips, gaze never leaving the clothing hanging on the back of the door.

"If it's one thing my mother always taught me, it's 'dress to impress.'"

Kagome released an un-ladylike snort. "Souten I'm serious, you really don't have to do this. I'm a big girl. I think I'm more than capable of dressing myself."

The earnest tone Kagome used caused Souten to hesitate, the hands on her hips dropping down to hang limply at her side. Souten stared blankly at Kagome for a moment; blinking once, twice, before a broad, warm smile curled at her lips.

"I wouldn't do anything that I wouldn't want to Kagome," She offered softly.

Crossing the threshold into the bathroom, Souten reached out and grabbed one of Kagome's hands in her own, giving it a small reassuring squeeze. "It's been a while since I've been able to do what I'm  _paid_  to do. There's only so much of this house that I can actually clean daily, and Lord Sesshomaru is a very reserved man. He doesn't make all that big of a mess."

Souten paused, pursing her lips in thought for a moment, before adding, "Plus, I don't think he would let me pick out his clothes."

Kagome unwillingly released a small giggle at the thought of Sesshomaru being exposed to this  _vivacious_  woman so early in the morning. She may not know him well enough, but from what she could tell, Souten crossing Sesshomaru's path this early in the morning would probably not turn out well.

It seemed that Souten was thinking the same thing because her smile grew to the point where it creased the corner of her eyes. "It's nice to have another woman to dote on and talk to. You said it yourself that you want us to be friends. Think of this as a way for us to get to know each other."

She leaned in, bumping her shoulder with Kagome's in an encouraging nudge, much like her husband had done the day prior. Getting Kagome to look her directly in the eye, Souten broke into what Kagome could only assume – was her best begging 'puppy-eyed' face.

"Please let me do this," the older woman pleaded.

Kagome instantly knew that this was another battle with Souten that she was not going to win. Accepting her defeat with as much dignity that she could muster, Kagome jabbed Souten's shoulder with her own, a small smile playing upon her lips.

"Alright, I give. Stop looking at me like that, you look ridiculous."

Souten grinned broadly at her victory, smugly giving Kagome a quick ' _thank you'_  before she turned and began dragging the smaller woman out of the bathroom.

"Now with that settled, you need to get into the kitchen to grab something to eat. My instincts – which are never wrong, I might add – tell me that you're going to have a long day ahead of you."

The way she said it made wheels in Kagome's head turn. Souten was aware that something was going to happen today, something that involved herself. Cerulean orbs narrowed at the taller woman's back, though, instead of trying to wrangle information out of her, Kagome chose not to question anything. If it related to her, she would find out soon enough.

"Now don't come back in here until you've had something to eat," Souten commanded in her best bureaucratic tone, practically shoving Kagome out of her bedroom door.

"Yes  _mother_ ," Kagome drawled sarcastically, earning a bark of laughter. "If you're going to pick out shoes for me, save myself and everyone else the embarrassment by keeping the heel size under three inches. I'm a notorious klutz."

Kagome didn't have to look over her shoulder as she walked out of the room, she could  _feel_  Souten's Cheshire grin boring into her back.

"No promises!" Souten called out, slamming the door closed behind her.

-o-

The kitchen was easily the most significant room in the house.

It was also the most open.

The ceramic tile that made up the floor was a light cream color which complimented the polished oak hardwood of the cabinets. To the immediate right of the entrance was a door that lead into the walk-in pantry, a few hanging cabinets were mounted on the wall to the left of the door. The wall opposite the entrance was mostly covered in glass. Two large windowpanes took up the majority of the expanse of the wall, nestled between them was a pair of elegant sliding glass doors.

Offset and to the left of the doors was a long, extravagant looking glass-top dining table which looked like it was barely used. In the middle of the room was a long, white granite-top island. It was concave in shape, angled so that it separated the left corner of the kitchen from the rest of the room, creating a semi-enclosed space. Nestled in that little nook was an exceptionally grand, built-in stainless-steel refrigerator and its matching appliance counterparts. There was countertop space built along the left corner of the room, stemming from the fridge and running along the curve of the wall. Along the bottom of the marble top were built-in cabinets, made up of the same wood as the additional ones which hung above.

The light that filtered through the windows cast an intimately pleasant aura, in an almost picturesque type of way. It was like the entire layout was picked out of a home décor magazine. Kagome was sure that when her mother came to visit, the older woman would immediately be struck with kitchen envy.

Upon her arrival, Kagome was greeted with the sight of Shippo pouring what looked like miso soup into two small bowls which were laid out in front of matching table settings on the island.

"It smells delicious in here," Kagome hummed, catching the redhead's attention.

"Good morning Kagome!" Shippo chirped happily in greeting.

"Oh no," Kagome blanched in mock-horror. "You're one of  _those_  just like your wife!"

Her groaned accusation caused Shippo to pause, looking at her questioningly with both brows raised.

"One of what?" He questioned, apparently confused.

" _A morning person_ ," Kagome groused for the second time in the last half an hour.

There was a pregnant pause as Shippo just stared at her, mirroring the same expression his wife had worn just before. He blinked at her once before he tossed his head back and released a chest rattling laugh.

' _It's scary how similar their reactions are,'_ Kagome joked internally.

Turning from her, Shippo continued to chuckle, moving towards the counter behind him. Opening the cabinet above his head, he plucked a sizeable ceramic mug from the array of glassware before shifting to one of the intricate looking appliances on the countertop. Kagome caught the distinct sound of liquid flowing before Shippo turned back to her and made his way out from behind the island, glass in hand.

He crossed the room, holding a steaming cup of  _something_  and instinctively, Kagome's eyes lit up as the bitter aroma of coffee infiltrated her olfactory system. He stopped just out of arm's length, holding out the glass, jade orbs dancing with amusement. Kagome had no time to indulge in tricks he was going to try and play and crossed the unnecessary distance between them, snatching the mug from his grasp.

She quickly brought the cup to her lips and greedily took the first few sips of the caffeinated liquid, eyes closing in utter bliss.

"Easy there tiger. There's plenty more where that came from."

Much like she had done with his wife, Kagome chose to ignore Shippo's teasing, continuing to sip on the coffee while making her way towards one of the stools near the island. Sitting down, she pulled her right foot up on the seat, tucking her knee close to her chest. Cradling her mug in both hands, she balanced it on top of her knee, azure hues watching Shippo as he resumed his position in front of the stove.

It was silent for a few minutes, Shippo turning on the rice cooker before he cracked two eggs into the pan residing over the open flame. The bubbling sizzle resounded throughout the room.

"Do you need help with anything?" She questioned after half of her coffee had been depleted, finally starting to feel awake enough to assist if needed.

He seemed startled by her question, turning to look at her over his shoulder with wide emerald eyes. The 'deer-in-the-headlights' look didn't last long, Shippo quickly collected himself and shook his head as he grinned at her. He turned back towards the cooking food before he responded.

"No, thank you. You just sit tight and wake up a little more. Something tells me I shouldn't trust you anywhere near hot objects this early in the morning."

Kagome bit down the childish urge to stick her tongue out at him, settling instead to give him a small  _'hrmph'_  while turning up her nose. "I'm going to pretend not to be insulted by that."

Shippo laughed at her sulking, muttering something under his breath that suspiciously sounded like  _'definitely not conventional_.'

A flash of orange caught the corner of her eye and Kagome turned towards it, pouting forgotten momentarily. Her gaze landed on a neatly stacked pile of paperwork and file folders that resided on right end of the countertop.

It was her paperwork.

A frown furrowed between her brows, confusion evident as her mind come up with an answer as to why her work files were in the kitchen.

' _That's right!'_  She exclaimed internally.  _'I was reviewing files out on the patio last night_.'

Her realization didn't clear up her confusion, however. It didn't take long for another question to form in her mind.

' _How did I end up in my bed last night?'_

The logical side of her brain declared that the answer to her question was quite evident. Unless she had somehow developed a highly advanced case of sleepwalking within the last few days, someone had to have carried her to her room.

The better question was:  _who_?

Again, the rational side of her brain screamed that there was a clear answer to that question, though Kagome refused to even broach the possibility. No one besides Sesshomaru and herself was in the house last night, but he wouldn't have carried her off to her room. It was her fault for falling asleep outside, and Kagome wouldn't be surprised if he would tell her so to her face. This man – who was a stranger – would not submit himself to the lowly task of looking after her.

There was just no way.

Then again, she  _really_  didn't know him, did she? Most of the information she had on Sesshomaru was from secondhand sources. Who was she to say that he wouldn't do something like that for her? He had, after all, given her a newly renovated room.

"…Shippo?" Kagome ventured in a hesitant tone.

"Yes?" He replied, not looking up from the stove.

"Did you or Souten come back here last night? For any reason?" Kagome asked though she was well aware of the what the answer would be.

Even if the staff came back last night, there was no realistic possible outcome as to how it could have occurred. Myouga would not be able to carry her anywhere and, though she was relatively small, Kagome doubted Souten would be able to even lift her. The only one who she knew could complete that task without any real effort would be Shippo. Despite spending most of the day yesterday getting to know him, Kagome seriously doubted Shippo would be comfortable enough to carry her to her room. He would have politely woken her up.

"No, we didn't…" Shippo responded, voice trailing off as he turned his head so that he could look at her. Green eyes surveyed her face for a short moment before he asked, "Why? Did something happen?"

"No, no," She hastily replied, quelling any fears that she might have caused with her inquiry. "Nothing happened. I was just wondering, that's all."

Shippo stared at her for a moment longer, jade orbs narrowing minutely. For a moment, he looked like he didn't quite believe her and was going to call her out on it, but he must have thought better of it. He resigned with a small nod before turned back towards the stove.

Her right hand released its hold on the coffee cup, coming to grasp the ring that was suspended on the delicate silver chain around her neck. With all the packing and unpacking, Kagome chose to wear her wedding ring on a necklace so that she wouldn't lose it. Slowly, she traced the engraved stones on the band while her mind shuffled through the barrage of different questions racing through her head.

' _It could be his way of thanking you for the food,'_  she thought.

Quickly, Kagome swept her gaze down to the other end of the island, looking for any evidence of Sesshomaru even eating the food that she left out last night. Of course, there wasn't any, the dish and her note were long gone. As nonchalantly as she could, Kagome looked towards the sink, trying to distinguish if any dirty dishes vaguely seemed familiar to her. It was to no avail. Due to her angle and distance, she couldn't see over the lip of the countertop.

Absentmindedly, she continued to fiddle with her wedding band, twirling it between her thumb and pointer finger.

Much like on her wedding day, Kagome found herself plagued with thoughts of her new husband.

And much like on her wedding day, Kagome was trying to figure out the mystery that was Sesshomaru.

-o-

Sesshomaru found her like that a few minutes later.

As he entered the kitchen, golden eyes immediately took in the sight of her. She looked dazed, staring off at the opposite wall, but not really  _seeing_. Briefly, he wondered if something had upset her; if someone had said something to cause her to be in such a state. Sesshomaru flicked his gaze over towards Shippo – who was contently absorbed in cooking breakfast – and brushed that thought aside as quickly as it had come.

There was no way the young man would continue to carry out his tasks if he knew that he had caused one of the guests in his house any distress.

Then again, Kagome wasn't a  _guest_.

Either way, Shippo was attentive, personally enveloped with those around him. It was one of the reasons why Sesshomaru hired him in the first place. Sesshomaru also knew that if this woman was anything like how his father and half-brother described her to be, then her temper was not to be trifled with. He had only caught a small glimpse of it on the night of the Inuyasha incident, but he knew when she was enraged, she was extremely  _loud_.

It was a stark contrast the melancholy behavior she was presenting now.

No, this wasn't anger or frustration.

Kagome looked lost, confused even.

The movement of her hand captured his attention, and Sesshomaru glanced down at her fidgeting fingers. The glint from the sapphire stone was easily recognizable, and his left hand twitched in response. The sight of her wedding ring suddenly made the golden band on his finger feel incredibly heavy. He wouldn't admit it out loud – especially to the likes of his father – but he knew interacting with her would be more manageable from this point on if he showed that he wasn't making an effort to resist their unique circumstance, hence him sporting his own wedding ring.

And suddenly, it  _clicked._

He understood the topic that seemed to have her so derailed.

It was him…her… _them._

The conversation that he had with his father the day before came back to the forefront of his mind. Sesshomaru chose to overlook a lot of things over the course of the last few days, Kagome being one of them. He supposed that his ignorance was unsettling for her, being brought to this house without so much as a conversation between them. As much as he wanted to place the blame equally on both of them –  _she didn't necessarily reach out to him either_  – Sesshomaru had too much pride to allow himself to point the finger at anyone other than himself.

He knew his little stunt at the wedding gave her more questions than answers, but instead of allocating time for her even to inquire, he had all but disappeared the last few days. This entire situation – where they were now – was because he brought them here.

Maybe he avoided her because he would be uncomfortable with the questions that she would ask.

Maybe he avoided her because he was unsure of how he would even answer those questions;  _if_  he could even answer those questions.

Sesshomaru didn't want to treat her callously, though he knew better than to treat her like a close companion. They were on neutral ground and addressing her as a partner was what he should have done from the beginning. Kagome held her right to question why he had spontaneously intervened at the wedding, and he knowingly chose to take that right away from her.

Tawny hues glanced towards her face once more. There was an air of discomfiture around her that unsettled Sesshomaru, paired with this unusual look of perplexity in those blue-gray eyes of hers. There was always something about her that he couldn't place. She was an  _unknown,_ and he wanted to grasp her, to understand what it was that made her tick.

This woman was going to play such a panicle role in his life and career, but he knew nothing about her.

Instead of entirely venturing into the room, Sesshomaru chose to remain in the archway, not making his presence known as he apprised her with creased eyes.

She continued to twiddle her ring, dark brows drawn down in concentration. Before long she stopped, tilting her chin downwards so she could gaze at the band clutched between her fingers. Kagome situated herself correctly on the stool then, placing her coffee mug on the countertop before she brought her hands to the nape of her neck. She played with the clasp of the necklace for a brief moment, the chain parting with little effort. Carefully she unwrapped the circlet from the silver strand, holding it out in front of her.

Kagome scrutinized the ring for a short minute, azure eyes taking in every intrigue and infinitesimal detail. Whatever thoughts she had which caused her to act meekly seemed to have disappeared instantly. The longer she peered at the ring, the more her face set into hard lines of determination. Placing the silver necklace on the counter, Kagome continuing to eye the ring as if it was the answer to all of her un-vocalized questions.

It was another moment before she slid the band on the appropriate finger of her left hand. Something twisted in Sesshomaru's gut at the sight of her. She held out her hand, gazing at the sapphire stone nestled on her finger with –  _dare he say_  – approval in her eyes.

Before Sesshomaru could contemplate anything further, the shrill voice of his head attendant broke the silence of the room.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Myouga called, making his entrance into the kitchen from the patio. "Good morning!"

Both Shippo and Kagome snapped their heads in his direction. Shippo quickly followed in his elder's footsteps and gave Sesshomaru a lively greeting while Kagome just stared at him, wide-eyed.

Sesshomaru chose not to bask in her shocked expression, greeting both of his employees with curt nods as he finally crossed into the kitchen. He traversed the room swiftly, long strides carrying him towards the island. He tried to politely ignore the way her wide-eyed gaze trailed his movements as he smoothly and quickly occupied the chair to her right.

He half-turned to her then, offering her the same brisk nod that he had given Myouga and Shippo.

"Kagome," Sesshomaru greeted.

The ebony haired woman seemed caught off guard by his acknowledgment, her mouth opening and closing sporadically like a fish out of water. It took her a moment to gather her wits before she recognized him in return.

"S-Sesshomaru," She squeaked, bobbing her head.

"I take it you slept well, sir?" Shippo interjected, depositing two large plates in front of both occupants of the countertop. It seemed Shippo chose to keep things simple for the new lady of the house. Each of them received a bowl of homemade miso soup along with a dish filled with steamed rice mixed with natto, topped with a fried egg.

Sesshomaru liked to believe that it was because she was starving, instead of her wanting to focus on anything other than him, but as soon as the food was placed in front of her, Kagome dug right in. She clasped her hands together and shyly offered a soft ' _itadakimasu,'_  trying her best – and failing – to not look in his direction. Sesshomaru followed suit, offering his own thanks for the meal before taking the first few bites of his breakfast.

He swallowed, saffron eyes taking in both Myouga and Shippo as they chatted amongst themselves, moving about the kitchen to clean up the pots and pans the younger male used to make the meal.

"I did sleep well, thank you." Sesshomaru stated after a moment's pause. "It was relatively  _quiet_ here last night. It allowed me to get a lot of things done before going to bed."

His implication was not lost to either of his employees, nor the woman sitting next to him. Both men stiffened, turning their heads to give Sesshomaru matching sheepish expressions. He could feel Kagome's gaze upon him, but he continued to stare down his employees, waiting for an explanation. Shippo awkwardly scratched the back of his head, nervously chuckling.

"About that…" Shippo started.

"Milord, you see it-" Myouga grasped for an excuse.

Whatever they were going to say was lost to Kagome's resolute declaration.

"It's my fault," she aforementioned, all traces of her seemingly reserved demeanor long gone. For a fraction of a second, Kagome seemed almost shocked at her own words, but she quickly collected herself.

Politely, she placed her chopsticks down, determinedly straightening her spine as she turned her head towards him. The strongminded gleam in her eye didn't go unnoticed by any of the males in the room, his employees graciously keeping their mouths shut, watching the scene play out. Sesshomaru graced her with an inquisitive arch of his brow.

The longer she was under the speculating scrutiny, the more her robust deposition seemed to crumble. She squirmed slightly under his glower, but instead of cowering back, cobalt eyes locked with his own and her steadfastness strengthened as she took a breath.

"I wasn't trying to be presumptuous, so I'm sorry if I came off that way, but I sent them home. They helped out a lot in the afternoon, moving everything from the car to my room and such," She explained rapidly. "And um, well…It just seemed silly, you know?"

She was crumbling, and she knew it.

"To keep them here when they worked so hard and I figured giving them the night off would be okay. You weren't home, and we didn't know when you were coming back and there was no point in them cooking just for me only to sit around and wait for you and wow I'm rambling…"

An embarrassed flush dusted across her cheeks as she finished her babbling, but despite how distressed she seemed to be, Kagome never looked away from Sesshomaru. Her embarrassment eased the small amount of tension in the room, Shippo chortled somewhat, turning back to the sink so that he could continue the task that he started.

Myouga, who was gracing Kagome with an extremely grateful look, offered, "Miss Kagome thought things would be easier for the both of you if you both were alone when you arrived home, Milord."

The woman in question sent the older gentleman a small pointed look of betrayal as if that was the last thing that she wanted Sesshomaru to know. Myouga chose to ignore the glower, offering his employer a small bow. "I apologize for not being here when you arrived home last night Lord Sesshomaru, but your wife is very convincing when she wants to be."

Sesshomaru shifted his gaze between the two, Myouga seemingly feeding off Kagome's previous strengthened resolve, while Kagome was now nervously gnawing on her bottom lip. She looked away from him then, eyes shifting to every other corner of the room.

He didn't understand what she was nervous about; it wasn't like he was the type to yell or scream when something went wrong. He wasn't going to berate her for her choice of action, but he did want an answer to what had occurred. It didn't help that he held a reputation for being vindictively cold towards most people, but Sesshomaru liked to believe that he had a better hold on his attitude within his home. Especially towards his staff. He held the utmost respect for him, and he returned that regard tenfold.

It didn't help that his bastard of a half-brother was one of her best friends. Sesshomaru could only imagine the things that Inuyasha had said about him over the years, but he wouldn't do anything without reason. Technically, as his wife, she had every right to dismiss the staff if she felt like it. Now that he knew the reason why no one was here last night, he deemed it an acceptable excuse.

In the back of his mind – the very dark corner that he liked to discount on most occasion – Sesshomaru took a small amount of satisfaction in the thought that this woman thought ahead to take into account his own comfort when it came to their first meeting.

" _Hn_." He hummed, dismissing the situation entirely as he turned back to his meal.

The kitchen fell into comfortable silence then, or at least a comfortable silence for the three men who were used to the inner workings of this household. The only noise was the running water, and occasional clatter of the cookware as Shippo and Myouga washed, dried, and placed them back into their respective cabinets. Kagome idly picked at the remainder of her meal, passing glances towards Sesshomaru out of the corner of her eye.

He chose not to acknowledge her outwardly. If she was looking for something to say, she should just say it. Until then, he focused on with his breakfast, mulling about the different things he needed to get done at work. When he was finished, she was still peeking at him but remained tight-lipped.

Sesshomaru pushed the empty bowl and plate away from him before standing. He didn't move right away, looking down at the woman sitting next to him. Kagome, who was still trying her best to continue to watch him out of the corner of her eye, immediately turned towards him. Sensing that that he needed to tell her something, she looked up at him from under dark lashes, fingers nervously twitching around her chopsticks.

"Father thinks it would be best for you to come into the office from now on," He stated with an authoritative tone. "With the merger being finalized it would be optimal for you to start getting yourself acclimated to how things will be run. With that being said, you will accompany me to the office today."

He watched her take in his words, processing them slowly. That fire was back in her eyes again, excited sparks of elation flicking within her orbs. It took Sesshomaru a moment to realize that she was still fidgeting under his gaze, but this time it seemed to be with enthusiasm. The thought of going to work had brought her joy, like a kid who couldn't sleep the night before Christmas. It was highly amusing to watch.

"Okay," She confirmed with a bob of her head.

Suppressing the small smirk that threatened to curl on his lips, Sesshomaru carried on. "I also noticed that there isn't another car in the driveway, do you not have one?"

Kagome didn't look uncomfortable or ashamed of his question. She shook her head in response, "No, I don't. There was never any need for one since I lived so close to campus and dad's office."

"It's of no consequence. You can ride with me to work." He didn't give her a chance to comment or rebuff what he had said, shifting his body away from the counter as he began striding towards the entryway.

He didn't make it very far before a hand reached out and wrapped around his forearm, halting his movements.

"W-wait!" Kagome stuttered out as she stopped his retreat. Sesshomaru cast her an inquiring look, inwardly attempting to silence the uncomfortable feeling rising within him as the cold metal of her wedding ring resonated against his bare skin.

"I wanted to thank you Sesshomaru," Kagome stated in a sincere tone. "Not just for the ride to the office, but for everything. Allowing me here, the room, and what you did at the wedding… _for this_." She emphasized her point by gesturing wildly around the kitchen with her free hand.

"I'm not sure why you did it, but you helped me. You really don't know how much this means to me… so thank you."

The earnestness in her voice took him back slightly, and he feared that if he remained under her gaze for long, he would end up being the one squirming uneasily. With a sharp nod, he gently disentangled himself from her grip and continued on his original path towards the entrance of the room. When he reached the archway, he paused to turn to look back at his onyx haired wife.

She had been trailing his exit with her eyes, instantly meeting his gaze with raised brows, looking surprised that he had stopped to turn back towards her. Cocking her head to the side, Kagome patiently waited for whatever it was that he wanted to say.

"For future reference," Sesshomaru's voice monotone voice drawled, "I prefer my curry spicier." He said nothing else after that, turning his back on the trio and exciting the room with the same long strides he used when he had entered.

The tension in the room snapped then; any notion of awkwardness from the previous interactions was suddenly erased. Both Shippo and Myouga paused in their cleaning to share a confused glance, slowly turning towards Kagome for an answer to what their boss was talking about.

Kagome's mouth hung open; brows drew down in a frown, her shock and confusion evident. Before long, the look of stupor morphed into one of startled delight, a massive grin breaking out on her face. The pair of bewildered looks that she was receiving turned even more perturbed as a bubble of gleeful laughter crawled its way up her throat, echoing throughout the room.

"Uh…Kagome?" Shippo asked hesitantly, watching her.

Kagome's ill contained mirth now caused her shoulders to shake. She may not know Sesshomaru well, but she easily recognized that comment being the closest thing she was ever going to get to a ' _you're welcome'_.

"Duly noted Sesshomaru," She murmured to herself in between snickers, turning back to her breakfast, offering no explanation to the other occupants in the room.

Sesshomaru only made it halfway through the living room when the string of bell-like giggles made their way to his ears.

The corner of his lips quirked up into a small smile at the sound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading!
> 
> You can always find me on tumblr. Stop by and say hi! (itsmillertimexx)


	5. Take a Picture, It'll Last Longer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! Hope everyone had happy and healthy holidays with their families!
> 
> After massive amounts of editing, we are officially back! Nothing in the story changed, just fixed a lot of spelling/punctuation errors and added some stuff to make things a little less choppy. 
> 
> Let me know how you think the story is progressing so far in the comments! Too fast? Too slow? Need more fluff? I'm trying to keep it as realistic as possible, but your input is always welcome!
> 
> Enjoy!

Really, after everything that had occurred over the last couple of days, Kagome should have seen this coming.

In fact, with all the questions and tactless names the tabloids had been hurling at her, she was shocked that it wasn't  _worse._

All she could do was try her best, and really, she did.

Kagome  _tried._  She really, really,  _really_   _wanted_  to overlook them.

' _Keep your head up,'_ she affirmed inwardly. ' _Just breathe and ignore them.'_

Honestly, she didn't know what to expect, but she should have foreseen some type of backlash. How were people supposed to react when their employer – the infamously callous, future co-CEO of Taisho Inc. – came strolling through the front door…with his new wife in tow?

Especially, when said wife – who was also a future co-CEO of Taisho Inc. – had all but vanished from the public eye after their impromptu wedding?

They  _stared_ ,  _gawked_ , and  _sneered_ , that's how.

Kagome thought she handled the initial onslaught relatively well. As Sesshomaru lead her through the entrance of the building, she didn't outwardly show any signs of distress when all eyes in the immediate vicinity trained on them.

She couldn't let it show.

If Kagome wasn't going to bat an eye at the newspapers and magazines, then she certainly was not going to let the staff in – what was to be  _her_ office – get under her skin. This was going to be her first impression, the  _only_ impression that she would leave them with. Strong and silent seemed to work for Sesshomaru, and her half-assed adaption of that mentality helped over the last few days; it would work here – it  _had_  to work here.

The staring she could get used to. It was the eerie, uncomfortable silence that followed their progress which caused her stomach to tighten into a bundle of knots. What should have been a busy, bustling, ruckus filled cooperate lobby, was instead deafeningly quiet.

' _Keep your head up. Just breathe. Ignore them.'_

This time, it sounded more like a plea.

' _Keep your_ head up _. Just_ breathe _._ Ignore _them.'_

That internal monologue played on repeat in her head. Kagome focused on the words, stressing them over and over again like a prayer; a mantra that would save her from the insufferable, suffocating damnation that this entire situation thrust upon her.

Kagome should realize that with her luck – her shitty, damn  _luck_  – that things would get worse before they would get better. The further they progressed from the lobby, the more harrowing her world became. Sesshomaru insisted on showing her around the entire office, stopping on every floor and allowing Kagome time to familiarize herself with the different department locations. He took his time perusing the various cubicles and rooms, pointing out the different areas that would be of interest to her side of the business. He could only be bothered to do this  _once_ – as he so elegantly stressed – and he was going to make sure that she was acquainted with everything to the best of his abilities.

The higher up they ventured into the building, however, the shoddier Kagome began to feel.

In comparison to the experience in the lobby, things were growing incredibly  _excruciating_.

On the second floor, Kagome was deterred – somewhat – to find that the onlookers only seemed to grow in numbers. It appeared that they had garnered a whisper-filled following.

On the fifth floor, Kagome's determined disposition began to crumble slowly; her mantra long forgotten. They left a wake filled with questioning leers as they moved along.

On the tenth floor, Kagome almost flinched under every scrutinizing glance as she struggled not to appear downtrodden. The sudden hush of voices upon their arrival made her itch.

Presently, on the fifteenth floor, she was ready to  _bolt_ ; her mind already formulating a plan of escape.

She could run, hide herself away in the nearest empty conference room. Behind that locked door, Kagome would be free to patiently wait out the rest of the workday, apart from inquisitive and muttered hearsay.

Kagome swore people began to single her out, that somehow everyone's gaze always ended up on her. It was most likely because she appeared to be the weaker of the two.

Sesshomaru was aloof as always; his stare – whether intentional or not – was shuttered, cold, and nonchalant. His face – from what she could tell with her limited experience – seemed to lack the natural mobility that others had. Amber hues would rest on a particular point or person in the room but never lingered longer than necessary. Kagome presumed it was because he was a calculating individual; he needed to assess every detail, but was also quick to dismiss anything that wasn't worth his intrigue.

On this little tour, it seemed that most of his employees fit the criteria of ' _not worth my time._ ' It resulted in others altering their initial paths so that they wouldn't cross theirs.

In comparison to the impervious, towering persona he affronted, Kagome was an easy target.

She always had been a wide-open book when it came to what she was feeling. Her mother continuously told her that she wore her heart on her sleeve and every emotion on her face. If any of their workers were looking to gather some insight into their marital situation, Kagome would be the correct one to observe.

It made maintaining a cool façade all the more important, now more than ever. Kagome couldn't look worrisome or vexed. It would just be adding fuel to the proverbial fire.

There was no amount of preparation she could have undergone which would have made this easier. Kagome's circumstance was far from comfortable or welcoming; she was adrift in foreign waters, and there was nothing that she could do but try and remain afloat.

It was also of no assurance, that Sesshomaru – despite their little scene in the kitchen earlier on – had remained tight-lipped throughout most of the morning. The car ride into the city was quiet, though neither party attempted to break the silence. Everything was still new to the both of them, and they were both content with not pushing the boundaries of this new…relationship. Everything would come together with time; they just needed to get there. One step at a time.

When they had arrived at Taisho Inc., which was nestled in the heart of Marunouchi District, Kagome barely had any time to take in the sleek, black twenty-story building before Sesshomaru ushered her along with a soft, yet commanding ' _Come.'_

She wasn't insulted or affronted with the way that he behaved. Kagome may not have known much about Sesshomaru, but his self-preferred laconism was common knowledge among many, and she wasn't expecting him to change his behavior for her spontaneously.

He didn't speak much during the tour either, only when necessary, to clearly and concisely mention anything that would be of interest to her in the near future. Sesshomaru carried himself like all eyes in the building weren't trained on them. It gave Kagome a trickle of courage to hold on to. Now, however, holding her head high and forcing her gaze to remain ahead was becoming a task she was quickly losing interest in.

It was on the sixteenth floor that Kagome finally,  _finally,_  caught a much-needed break.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here," A familiar voice called when the couple exited the elevator.

Recognizing the owner of said voice instantly, Kagome broke into a broad smile.

"Miroku!" She greeted, leaving Sesshomaru's side.

She crossed the distance between them with quick strides, throwing her arms around the violet-eyed male in a rib-cracking hug. The force of it caused him to stumble back slightly, but he remained upright. Kagome didn't care if her behavior was deemed unformal or inappropriate, she was finally in the presence of someone  _familiar_.

The notion made her squeeze Miroku a little tighter.

If he sensed the distress behind her embrace, Miroku didn't comment on it. Instead, he returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her close.

He chuckled softly, pulling back from her after a moment. "If I knew you would have been this happy to see me, I would have visited days ago."

Kagome dropped her hold, her hands falling from his waist to rest on her hips. "You  _were_  supposed to visit," she admonished with a frown. "You were going to help me with the move, remember?"

There was a pause, and for a second, Miroku dared to look  _almost_  remorseful.

"Ah, well..." he started, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "You know how things can be. Got lost on the road of life, I suppose."

Kagome arched a brow in his direction. "Really?" She deadpanned. "That's the excuse you're going with?"

"Don't be angry. Look, work was just hectic this week, but I can make it up to you. How about lunch sometime soon…my treat?"

The offer of free food gave her momentary pause, which Miroku quickly registered. It was the tiny flash of relief that crossed his face, the idea that  _he had actually weaseled his way out of this,_ that brought back Kagome's slowly rising ire.

"Are you sure that's the real reason?" She questioned, blue orbs narrowing. The tone of her voice implicated that his excuse was the very _last_  thing she was going to believe.

"And this has nothing to do with the fact that you've been avoiding Sango?" Kagome accused. "Whenever she is mad at you, which she is, by the way, you make yourself scarce."

"Er…" Miroku unintelligently responded, scrambling – and  _failing_  – to formulate a defense. "…That may have something to do with it." He reluctantly admitted.

"Do I even want to know why you two are fighting now?"

Miroku shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "It seems she's a  _tad_  bit upset with me because I officiated your wedding without kicking up a fuss."

Kagome deflated at his answer, casting the dark haired-male a pitying glance. Kagome knew Sango's anger was misguided. Sango was the only one who was adamantly against the entire ceremony, and she vocalized her displeasure with the way things occurred more than once over the last few days. The brunette wouldn't take out her frustrations on Kagome; that much she knew. It may have been due to the situation that Kagome landed herself in – Sango had been handling her like a delicate piece of glass since the wedding – or maybe it was because they had been best friends for so long.

Miroku, however, he neither the length of friendship that they shared nor the emotional turmoil that came with a spontaneous marriage. He was an easy target for her best friend's anger.

Before Kagome could pry more information out of him, Miroku turned towards Sesshomaru, who had, until now, been regarding the interaction between the two with an air of indifference.

"Sesshomaru-sama," He greeted with an inclination of his head.

"Hoshi," Sesshomaru returned.

The suddenness of Miroku's appearance hit Kagome all at once, and before she could really think, the words were already out of her mouth. "What are you doing here Miroku?" She asked, irritation giving way to curiosity. She could discuss the Sango situation with him later.

"Well, I do technically work here," he teased with a smile. "You would think after all this time you would have remembered that."

At Kagome's embarrassed flush, – because how could she  _forget_  basic information such as that – he laughed softly.

"I have a meeting with Touga-sama to review a proposed contract from another company, but he has yet to arrive," Miroku explained.

Sesshomaru cut in then, "Father hasn't arrived…yet?" The question spilled from his mouth almost hesitantly, like he didn't like the taste of words on his tongue.

His disbelief was apparent, the corners of his lips drawn down into a small frown. As if it could help him dispute Miroku's statement, golden eyes shifted towards the watch on his wrist, taking careful note of the time.

"It seems Lady Izyaoi had him up late last night," Miroku affirmed with a small waggle of his eyebrows. "He should be in later this morning. I came down here to review some of the other contracts we've had with this company."

Kagome smothered her smile with the back of her hand while Sesshomaru grimaced at the implications made about his father and step-mother.

"I see," Sesshomaru replied.

It was then that Kagome became aware that the conversation between the trio had an audience. Sesshomaru continued to remain impervious, though Miroku – who had also noticed their onlookers – appeared just as weary as she was with the increased attention.

"Seems like you two are still big news around here," Miroku stated, taking a modest step back. It was as if he thought the increased distance between himself and the couple would somehow alleviate some of the gazes he was caught in.

It was now Kagome's turn to shift on her feet awkwardly. "Yeah," she mumbled. "It's been an… _interesting_  morning."

"How is everything going, by the way? How the house?" Miroku directed the question towards Kagome in a soft voice, but he peeked towards Sesshomaru after he asked. His insinuation was not lost on her.

She tensed at his inquiry, somewhat surprised with his boldness, especially in front of Sesshomaru. Then again, this was Miroku and subtly was never really his forte. If the silver haired male was bothered by the personal question about their lives, he didn't show it. Instead, he was still looking at his watch, thinking extremely hard about something.

"Everything's fine, Miroku," Kagome assured. "It's just been a crazy couple of days."

"Hn," Sesshomaru hummed in agreement. Before Miroku could formulate another query, Sesshomaru turned towards Kagome.

Confused by his sudden movement and attention towards her, Kagome looked up at him from under dark lashes, head cocked to the right in silent question.

"If you excuse us, Hoshi. I needed to finish assisting Kagome with familiarizing herself with the rest of the office." With nothing but a curt nod of dismissal, Sesshomaru took a step away from the raven-haired male, gesturing for his wife to continue walking with a small flick of his wrist.

"Oh," Kagome started, astonished by the quick dismissal. Cerulean hues glanced towards Miroku, who remained unphased by his boss' curt attitude. Reluctant to leave the comfort of Miroku's presence, Kagome hesitated.

After a pause, in which she chose to ignore Sesshomaru's hard stare, she nodded slowly in acceptance. "Okay then…I'll see you soon Miroku, don't think I'm letting you out of your offer for lunch."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Kagome." He chirped, violet eyes crinkled with warmth.

"And do us both a favor, call Sango and  _grovel_ ," Kagome commanded turning and walking away, offering her friend a small backward wave. She didn't get very far before stopping and turning her head to add, "I'll try my best and calm her down from my end."

Whatever Miroku's response had been, it was lost due to him mumbling under his breath, but the nervous apprehension which contorted his face at the prospect of calling Sango was easily seen.

"Are we almost finished with all of this?" She questioned as they ventured further into the floor. It was the first thing she had said directly to Sesshomaru since they left the house. Kagome didn't want to come off as rude or ungrateful, but being a public spectacle was fraying her polite demeanor.

Kagome reached her breaking point. After experiencing some familiarity with Miroku, she did not want to go back to being the center of unwanted attention, especially for the next three floors.

Sesshomaru shifted his head so that he could look down at her, peering towards her out of the corner of his eye. He didn't immediately reply, but instead studied her for a few quiet moments. He continued to ignore her question by turning to survey the room casually. No one on this floor was trying to hide the fact that they were quite interested in seeing the couple interact. Many had abandoned their work to just gape at the two of them.

Something flashed across his features then; Kagome couldn't make it out entirely, but it was if he was  _finally_  noticing just how much attention they were garnering.

"It won't be much longer," He finally assured, casting his gaze ahead once again.

With quickness Kagome couldn't even follow, Sesshomaru reached towards her, grasping her by the forearm. Gently, he pulled her closer to his towering form, tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow, his hand remaining on top of her captured one, pinning the limb.

Kagome stumbled for a moment, floored by the sudden contact.

"Eh!? What do you -" Her shrieked exclamation died on her tongue as blue locked with gold. Sesshomaru gave her a small, inconspicuous shake of his head, telling her without words to ' _keep your mouth shut.'_

Together they circled the floor at a much quicker pace than they had done previously. Kagome struggled to keep up with his long strides, but somehow, she managed without stumbling over her own two feet. Sesshomaru pointed out the department chairs' offices with brisk efficiency; they had been the only things he needed to show her on this floor. Before Kagome could fully register their movement, they were both tucked back inside the elevator. As the doors closed with a soft ' _ding,'_  Sesshomaru released his hold on her.

Kagome found herself breathing a massive sigh of relief, eyes watching with keen interest as Sesshomaru pushed the number for the twentieth floor, instead of the seventeenth. His odd behavior a few minutes prior finally started to make sense.

He must have realized how uncomfortable she had been and wanted to get her off that floor as quickly as possible; to save her from any further public gaping.

"Thank you," she muttered, shoulders slumping as the tension started to leave her.

" _Hn,_ " Sesshomaru droned in response, but his emphasis on the syllable hinted that he was just as relieved to be finished with their little excursion as she was.

-o-

The penthouse level of Taisho Inc. was a large open area, constructed out of black marble that ran from the floor to halfway up the walls. The remaining half was covered with a stormy-gray wallpaper void of any patterns or designs. The elevator doors gave way to a large, polished oak desk embellished with the company symbol – a massive, waning crescent moon – carved into the front of it. Besides the hulking, metal door that lead to the emergency staircase, four other entryways connected to the reception area; two on the furthest wall across from the elevator, one on the right, and the other on the left. Besides the few various plants scattered throughout, and chairs that designated the waiting area, the majority of the level was bare. Overall, it was sleek and modern looking.

' _And loud,'_  she internally winced at the shrill cry of an office phone pierced the air, only to be lost amongst the echoing ruckus of what sounded like power tools.

"Good Morning and thank you for calling Taisho Inc., please hold," A feminine voice chirped over the noise.

A young woman was sitting behind the receptionist's desk. She appeared to be close to Kagome's age, maybe even a year younger, with red hair more vividly striking than Shippo's. Kagome had the fleeting thought that Shippo and this woman could easily be related, catching sight of piercing green eyes, but she banished the idea as quickly as it came. Shippo's eyes were warm and vibrant like emeralds whereas this woman – who was looking at the couple skeptically while they exited the elevator – had eyes that were paler, almost more blue than green, like seafoam.

"Didn't you and your father have an older woman as a secretary?" Kagome asked in a hushed voice, trying not to squirm under the pair of keen jade orbs that were observing her every movement. The few times that she had been to visit Touga, there had always been a friendly older woman who greeted her. She usually chatted happily with Kagome before and after the meetings.

"Kaede retired," was all Sesshomaru offered as they closed in on the front desk.

"Sesshomaru-sama," the woman greeted over clatter with a bow of her head. "Good morning to you and…?"

"Higurashi Kagome," Kagome said reflexively, extending out her right hand.

The woman looked at her dubiously for a moment, crimson brows furrowing in question. Green eyes slanted towards Sesshomaru as if he would hold the answer to her unspoken inquiry. It didn't take long for her to find what she was looking for; her gaze snapped back to Kagome after a moment's pause. She reached out swiftly and clasped Kagome's hand with her own.

"Kagome-sama," She greeted with the same bow of her head that she had graced Sesshomaru with. "It's nice to meet you. Forgive me for the hesitation, but you used your maiden name. It had me confused for a moment. My name is Ayame Royo."

A knot of sweltering embarrassment blossomed in Kagome's chest, pale cheeks turning as bright as Ayame's hair. As if the morning hadn't already been difficult enough, now she had been caught using her maiden name with the staff…in front of her husband.

' _So much for that immaculate first impression,_ ' her mind chastised. If there had ever been a time where Kagome wished the ground would rise up and swallow her whole, it was now. Maybe then she could forget this entire day ever happened.

"W-well," she stuttered. Kagome was floundering for an excuse; she knew it, and she was pretty sure that the other two in the room knew it as well. "I'm more recognized by my maiden name, especially with the business end of things. Newly married and all, it'll take some getting used to," she justified lamely.

Kagome attempted to assess if her little slip up caused Sesshomaru to be irate. Peeking towards him as subtly as she could, Kagome tried to gauge his reaction, but from the angle he was standing, half of his face was hidden from her and she couldn't make out his expression.

Ayame appeared to remain cynical, appraising Kagome further as their handshake ended. Kagome would have preferred to suffer through the additional three floors of the office tour than be under this woman's analytical scrutiny. She didn't know why, but she had the feeling that Ayame was testing her. Kagome wasn't sure if she should be insulted or intrigued by that fact.

She was prepared to be questioned further, but Ayame deemed their conversation over, turning towards Sesshomaru instead.

"Jaken-san has called three times this morning and is currently on hold now. He says he needs to talk to you right away, something about the merger."

"Of course he does," Sesshomaru replied tersely, almost grudgingly. "Inform him that I will call him back when I have time."

Ayame nodded once, reclaiming her seat behind the desk and picking up the phone to rattle off her boss' excuse.

"Come," Sesshomaru commanded, turning towards the right.

Kagome scurried behind him, heels tapping along the marble floor as they made their way to the office door on the right side of the room. "I'm sure you're familiar with father's office," he started, glancing over his shoulder at her.

Kagome bobbed her head in confirmation, onyx hair flowing with the movement. She knew that Touga's office was through the door on the left side of the room, she had been there enough over the last few months to have the layout memorized.

"Those two," he drawled, lifting a hand to point at the two doors on the far side of the room where the construction noises seemed to be emanating from. "Will be yours and Inuyasha's offices. Since you are here and he is  _not_ ," he spat out the last word. "You can claim whichever one you prefer when they are complete."

The small wave of bitterness that washed over her at the mention of Inuyasha's name caused her to purse her lips. She tried to brush the feeling aside, sapphire eyes looking towards the two doors in question. If Kagome remembered correctly, they once lead to a massive conference room. Next time she saw Touga, she would have to thank him for going out of his way to accommodate her.

Sesshomaru tossed open the wooden door in front of him, crossing the threshold without looking back. Kagome followed suit, half-turning to close the door behind her as she entered.

In comparison to his father's office, Sesshomaru's was just as bare as the lobby. Immediately across the from the door was a wall made up of glass windows; the sunlight breaking through cast the room in a warm glow as it bounced off the wooden floors. On the left side of the office was his desk, made out of black lacquered lumber. Behind it was a small bookcase, different books and paperwork filling up the rows. In front of the desk were two black leather armchairs similar to the one's Touga had in his office. There was no other lounging furniture in the room, where Touga had a rug, couch, and coffee table, Sesshomaru had nothing. On the right side of the office was a large wooden table, made up of the same stained lumber as his desk. On top of the table were boxes upon boxes of paperwork piled high with additional folders neatly stacked beside them.

"You'll be working in here with me for the time being," Sesshomaru said, breaking Kagome from her observations. He crossed the room towards the table and she wordlessly followed.

"The merger will take place in a couple of days. We have a board meeting at the end of next week to finalize everything; then it will go public," he explained. "Until then, I have to go through the employee files from both companies and choose who gets to keep their job and who does not."

Although he said the word ' _I',_  Kagome recognized the underlying context. They  _both_  would be going through this paperwork together, even if he wasn't going to ask her for help directly.

He pulled out one of the chairs at the table, the legs screeching against the wooden floor, but he made no more to take it. Instead, he took a tiny step back and glimpsed towards Kagome. She just stared at him, bemused for a moment, wondering just what it was that he was doing. Sensing her hesitation, Sesshomaru huffed before giving a brief gesture towards the chair with his chin. It was then that she realized he had pulled out for  _her_  to take a seat.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, scurrying to occupy the armchair. "Thank you."

Her eyes roved over the mass of paperwork, mind reeling about where the hell they could even begin. Timidly, she reached out and pulled the closest stack of file folders towards her, plucking the first one from the heap and flipping it open.

"I need to get my other messages from Ayame and return a few phone calls. I will be back shortly."

He turned briskly, making a move towards the door. Sesshomaru suddenly paused all movement, shifting to look back towards her.

"Will you be alright?" He questioned, unexpectedly.

Kagome snapped her head in his direction, the question catching her off guard. She opened her mouth to rebuff him but hesitated at the picture he presented. Her mouth snapped shut with an audible ' _click,_ ' and for an instant, there was another bout of silence.

This was the first time that she had ever seen Sesshomaru look  _unrefined_.

It seemed that he was just as uncomfortable with asking the question as she was answering it.

Truthfully, no, she was not alright. Nothing in her world was  _alright._ Things would not be  _alright_ for a long time coming – especially between  _them_.

However, he was  _trying_  to help her _,_  and Kagome could appreciate any effort that he made. It showed that she wasn't alone in this.

She released a small sigh, relaxing somewhat before offering him a smile. "I'll be fine Sesshomaru."

That seemed to appease him well enough, the stiffness in his posture abruptly melting away. He turned away from Kagome once more, but he didn't make it very far before her voice called out to him.

"Sesshomaru, could you…maybe…" Kagome paused for a moment, mentally weighing the options of her question. At her momentary gap, Sesshomaru raised both brows, silently willing her to continue. She fidgeted under his gaze for another moment, before gathering her courage to carry on.

"On your way back, could you grab us some more coffee? I feel like we're both going to have a long day ahead of us…"

"…Coffee…" He parroted, slowly while processing her inquiry. It was silent again for a second. Then, with a quick nod of his head, he repeated in a much firmer tone, "Coffee."

Kagome offered him another smile as he turned and walked away, blue eyes trailing his exit. At the soft ' _click'_  of the door that marked his departure, she looked back towards the file folder in front of her.

"Alright, let's get to work," she affirmed out loud.

-o-

Over the course of the next few days, they worked quickly and efficiently. Sesshomaru was stunned how well the two of them worked together; Kagome conducted herself with the same energetic jauntiness that she pretended in her daily life, he figured it would cause them to clash, but in fact, it was the opposite. Then again, Sesshomaru had to remind himself that she wasn't as new to this as many would have thought; himself included. Her father was an exceptional businessman before his untimely passing and it shouldn't come as a shock that Kagome was well versed after being under his tutelage.

That didn't mean she was comfortable with her environment, however.

He would never admit this aloud, but not being able to detect her distress when they first arrived at the building was a blow to his pride. Sesshomaru was always aware of his surroundings; he  _observed everything_ , a trait bred into him by his father. It should not have taken him  _sixteen floors_  to recognize that the woman standing beside him –  _his wife,_ no less – was discontent.

Sesshomaru was used to his staff staring at him. It was very rare for his father or himself to be wandering so aimlessly around the office, and after the last few days, he had grown accustomed to becoming the center of attention. He was well aware that she had not faced the public since their wedding, but she so readily agreed to go into the building that Sesshomaru figured she would have been ready to handle the social scrutiny.

Finding out that she was  _not_ as apt as he had initially presumed was partially the reason why he had inquired if she was going to be alright.

Sesshomaru knew what the real answer to the question would be, but he felt the compulsion to inquire anyway.

To his bewilderment, Kagome chose not to dwell on the issue that was plaguing her and instead asked him to bring her  _coffee_.

If she were willing to move past the situation without discussing it, then Sesshomaru would as well.

When he returned to the office on that first day – after an hour of listening to Jaken ramble on and on about  _nothing_  – Sesshomaru found Kagome half buried in one of the boxes of employee paperwork, her heels kicked off and blazer thrown askew on the back of her chair. It seemed in the time that he was absent, Kagome had already gone through the pile she started with, and half of the box that was in front of her. The onyx haired woman was so invested in her work that she hadn't realized he reentered the room again until he placed a cup of coffee in front of her.

She jolted, blinking a few times, before collecting herself.

Kagome thanked him profusely for retrieving her a source of caffeine and Sesshomaru didn't feel the need to tell her that it was really Ayame who ran to the café down the street.

She then began to explain what she had been doing while he was away. According to Kagome, what made the entire selection process easier was to look at the person's work history prior to their employment at Taisho Inc. or Higurashi Tech. If in the last five years a candidate had more than four previous employers, Kagome placed their folder off to the side for further review. Her reason being that there must have been  _some reason_ a person changed jobs that frequently and more often or not it was because their work was just not up to par. If an applicant had less than four, then she began to assess the quarterly reviews that were within the files. In the paperwork, if their work ethic and productivity were positively gauged, she chose to keep that applicant. If not, she moved the paperwork off into the pile with the others who didn't make the first cut.

Kagome stated she would go back and re-review the candidates that she labeled as "questionable" after they had sifted through all of the paperwork.

Sesshomaru decided not even give her the chance. He took one look at the little stack of file folders she had pushed off to the side, paused for one, brief moment, and then neatly deposited all of them into the trash.

Her initial shock gave way to the anger that she had a reputation for, but before she could rant and rave about  _what the hell he was doing_ – because clearly, he lost his  _god damned mind_  – Sesshomaru politely informed her that if she needed to second guess herself on a potential employee, then that person wasn't worth their effort.

' _You're your own boss now,'_ he chided. ' _You need to do what is best for our business. Follow your instincts and do not second guess yourself.'_

That seemed to appease her somewhat; just enough to keep her quiet for the rest of the morning.

For the remainder of the day, they rifled through the boxes. Sesshomaru allowed Kagome to have the initial decision on keeping an applicant or not. He reviewed the candidates that she felt would be worthy, not even bothering to question the files that she put aside. The notion of him not looking at those employees unsettled her, but Sesshomaru assured her that if she didn't think they would be a good a fit, he  _certainly_  wouldn't like them.

That night, when they had finally arrived home, eyes bleary from reading small text all day, Kagome was somewhat surprised to have Sesshomaru join her for dinner. She didn't voice any objection, but he could tell she was a bit wary.

Much to his amusement and her continued astonishment, he joined her for dinner for the rest of the week and the week after that. Sesshomaru remained silent, but he was present every night, and that seemed to lighten the tension that resided between them. It was subtle, but he noticed that Kagome grew more comfortable with him as the days passed. Sesshomaru barely ever spoke – rarely did he ever speak to her beyond one-syllable answers – but that didn't mean he didn't communicate.

He knew that she was a quick study, especially with the way that she had taken on tasks in the office. Kagome was skilled when it came to observing others, if Sesshomaru had to guess, it was because over the years, she oversaw her father conduct his business from afar. He wasn't shocked when Kagome started to read his body language as if she had known him for years.

It became a game for her; the more time she spent in his presence, the more she tried to get reactions out of him. Throughout the day she would idly chat – because it seemed she  _could not_  and  _would not_  work in silence – telling him little different things about her life, what she liked and what she didn't; reminiscent stories about her father and mother from when she was young.

Each time she spoke, Sesshomaru felt her eyes on him; endless pools of sapphire that were categorizing every little move he made. It made interacting with her intriguing and Sesshomaru found himself indulging in her curiosity about himself. Every once and a while, when Kagome had talked endlessly and found herself at an unwilling lull in her one-sided conversation, Sesshomaru would grace her with a tiny tidbit of information. She always listened with rapt attention and would then dive into another story from her middle school years or something embarrassing her younger brother had done.

He wouldn't say that they were friends just yet, but they were no longer strangers, and he was quite comfortable with where they were heading.

He was becoming privy to the natural charm that she emitted and it seemed that he wasn't the only one. Kagome's interactions with staff were limited, but those who she did speak to happened to become wrapped around her little finger. Even Ayame, who was still her most prominent skeptic, was slowly melting under the warm demeanor that was merely  _Kagome_.

Before Sesshomaru even realized it, it was the day of the board meeting. And though she flourished in the office over the last couple of days, here Kagome was, pacing back and forth in front of his desk while they waited for his father to join them.

"Go to your office if you're going to do that," Sesshomaru drawled, not looking up from his computer screen. "Your heels are scuffing up my hardwood floor."

Kagome answered with an unladylike snort, shooting a half-hearted glare in his direction.

Before she could formulate a snarky retort, his office door was tossed open and his father entered the room.

"Kagome, my dear!" Touga exclaimed in a cheerful voice upon seeing her. "How is my favorite daughter-in-law today?"

The older man crossed the room towards her, leaning down to place a chaste kiss on her cheek. Since her time in the office started, Touga chose to smother Kagome as much as he possibly could; be it lunches personally delivered to her or hovering over her while she worked, Touga was  _always there_.

Sesshomaru was unsure if his father was doing so out of some warped guilt because of the wedding, or if he was actually that excited to have her finally working. He chose not to examine it that thoroughly.

Despite her in-law's enthusiastic greeting, Kagome seemed far too perturbed to fabricate any sort of cheerfulness.

"I'm your only daughter-in-law Touga," She groused, taking a step away from him to continue her march. "Also, you should knock before you enter someone's office."

Surprise flitted across the older gentleman's face. "Ouch," Touga said, feigning hurt. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

Kagome responded this time by swatting his arm.

Touga arched one dark brow in his son's direction, silently asking ' _what's her problem,'_ but Sesshomaru chose to ignore it. He finished typing up the e-mail he was drafting, hitting the send button before shutting down his computer screen and standing up. Golden eyes watched the young woman as she continued to tread across the office before they flicked towards his father, who happened to be regarding Kagome with unconcealed amusement lining his gaze. Touga looked like he was about to make a snarky comment and before all hell broke loose in his office, Sesshomaru cut him off.

"Father," Sesshomaru called out from his perch behind his desk. "Leave her be."

Overlooking his son's reprimand, Touga instead inquired, "Are you ready for the meeting?"

"Hn," Sesshomaru replied with a nod. "We should make our way downstairs to the conference room."

At the mention of the word ' _meeting,'_  Kagome suddenly stopped moving.

"Do I really need to be present for this?" She questioned in a soft voice.

This was the third time in the last two days that Kagome asked Sesshomaru a question along those lines and before he could remark of something along the lines of ' _yes you have to attend, so stop asking about it,'_  Touga cut in.

"Everything will be fine, my dear.  _You_ will be fine. I understand your nervousness, but we are going to in there with you."

It seemed his father finally understood the reason behind her sour mood. With a tender expression that Sesshomaru had only ever seen the older gentleman use with Izayoi, Touga reached out and grasped Kagome's shoulder, squeezing gently.

The emphasize his statement, Touga gave a pointed took towards his son. "Isn't that right, Sesshomaru?"

Ever the one to struggle with comforting words, Sesshomaru wisely chose not to respond.

"We should be on our way," he stated indifferently.

Without waiting for a response from the other two, Sesshomaru made his way out from behind the desk and continued on his path until he was passing through the still open office door.

The walk down to the conference room on the floor below was silent. Sesshomaru tried to simultaneously ignore the glare that his father was drilling into the back of his head and the waves of dismay that continued to roll off of Kagome.

When they reached the large, ornate glass door that stood between them and the board members, Sesshomaru stood aside, holding open the door so that Touga could lead the trio into the room.

As Kagome made way to brush past him, Sesshomaru reached out and grabbed her elbow, halting her progress. She glanced at him, quirking her head to the side questioningly, but instead of verbalizing a response for his actions, Sesshomaru just gave her arm a gentle squeeze before releasing his hold on her.

Kagome quickly understood the message he was looking to portray and gave him a small, a quick quirk of her lips before she squared her shoulders and walked through the door.

-o-

" _Enough!"_ Touga howled over the chaos of the room. He sat at the head of the table, scowling at everyone and everything in the room.

Instead of silencing the mindless chatter, his howl only seemed to intensify it. Back and forth, both sides of the room were volleying accusations towards each other; greed, arrogance, and pride being the driving forces behind this conflict.

The meeting started out civil enough, but with a merger of this size, there was bound to be disagreements. Everyone in this room was looking to gain something from this deal – Sesshomaru and his Father include. With the finalization of the contract looming overhead, tensions were high. Most of the subparts were questioned, re-examined, and drawn out again and again. Who was getting what percentage of the new shares seemed to be the most significant topic of the last hour.

Sesshomaru sat to his father's right, reclined back in his chair, watching everything play out with hooded eyes. He kept his attention primarily focused on his wife, who was fidgeting in the seat across from him, once again playing with her wedding ring. Kagome wisely chose to remain mute throughout the meeting, leaving the talking to be done by Touga and himself. There were a few instances that he thought she would speak up, her blue eyes entranced with all of the activity in the room, but by some internal snubbing force, she chose to remain quiet.

"Gentlemen, please," Touga growled, exasperated. "There will be no more reevaluation of the contract, what is written has already been previously agreed upon, and  _there is no changing it now._ "

Touga's tone asserted the finality of his argument.

There would be no more discussing this matter.

"As for the distribution of the new shares from the Higurashi portion of things," the Taisho patriarch continued. "It will be up to Kagome on how she chooses to administer and sell what is remaining."

All eyes in the room turned towards the woman in question, and Sesshomaru watched as her spine turned ramrod straight. He quickly cast his gaze towards his father wondering if it was really best to draw attention to the skittish woman, but Touga was observing the other men in the room with narrowed eyes.

"Yes well, we're glad you brought that up, Touga-sama," Jaken, a short, impish-looking older man that was on the board for Taisho Inc. called out.

"We feel that Higurashi-san's position here should be addressed," He continued.

Neither Sesshomaru or Touga missed the purposeful use of Kagome's maiden name. Neither did Kagome because suddenly her fingers stopped playing with the silver band on her left hand. Touga's hackles immediately rose, Sesshomaru could tell by the way his shoulders hunched towards his ears. He wasn't necessarily content with where the conversation was heading either, but Sesshomaru chose to remain outwardly calm. Surprisingly, so did Kagome, who at that moment was serene under the scrutiny, peering at Jaken inquisitively.

Another man that Sesshomaru didn't recognize spoke up from the other end of the table. He must have been from Higurashi Tech. board.

"With this company's best interest in mind, with the merger being finalized, we feel that Higurashi-san should be taking more of a 'figurehead' approach to things," The small man's nasally voice explained. "It is of no offense to you, Higruashi-san, but you are a young woman in the middle of a company that is trying to reestablish itself at double its original size. You should be worried about what you will be wearing to your next gala, not reading through contract and proposing business deals."

Sesshomaru felt his father stiffen as a murmur of agreement echoed throughout the room. At this point, Sesshomaru made a move to intervene; a sharp retort on his tongue – because  _half_ of these imbeciles in this office would not be here if it weren't for this merger – but Kagome lifted a hand in his direction from across the table, hampering his movements. It seemed his father was in the same mind, looking like he was ready to pounce on the table, but the quick gesture from the petite girl had both silver-haired men pausing.

Not getting any opposition from the current heads of the company, Jaken chose to speak up once more.

"If you sell your shares, it'll put you and your family in a comfortable monetary position. We'll review the contracts and conduct most of the business aspects on your behalf, but you'll only be involved in personal appearances or fundraising opportunities. A 'face of the brand' if you will. If you think about it logically, even your father would agree that-"

Whatever Jaken was about to say was cut off by the loud ' _smack'_  of Touga's hands slamming on the wooden table.

"Now wait just one  _god damn_  minute," Touga hissed through clenched teeth as he stood up, chest heaving. "Where do you get-"

"Touga," Kagome cut in, breaking off his accusation in an eerily tranquil voice. "It's alright, let him speak."

All eyes in the room turned to the only woman sitting at the table, varying forms of shock and surprise contorting their features.

Sesshomaru kept his astonishment hidden and observed his wife skeptically. For someone who was so meek at the thought of coming into this room, Kagome seemed to be holding her head  _extremely_  high right now.

"That's another thing Higurashi-san," Jaken admonished. "For someone who is supposed to be primed to run this company, you lack the tact for properly addressing those in a higher status of your own. You can see why we're concerned to have someone like that lead us here."

"You are the pot calling the kettle black, Jaken-san," Kagome rebuffed without missing a beat. "My last name is Taisho. You shouldn't need to be reminded of such seeing as the name is written in big letters on the side of the building. How my father-in-law and I address each other is our business, not yours."

"Now there is no need to attack personal character," The nasally man from earlier reproached.

"You made it personal when you mentioned my father," Kagome shot back. "Let's make one thing perfectly clear, shall we?  _My father_ named me heir to his company. I will not leave it in the hands of this sniveling lot, who want nothing more than to suck it dry for their personal gain."

Touga, who had been staring at Kagome, mouth agape since the beginning of her outburst, suddenly collapsed back in his chair, a smugly satisfied expression shifting on his features. Sesshomaru watched, tensed, with both brows raised as Kagome pushed back from the table, her chair clattering behind her.

"I _will_  run my portion of this company and there is absolutely nothing any of you can say about it," She asserted, that familiar blue hellfire entering her eyes once more. "I own most of the shares of Higurashi Tech. and the only way any of you are going to get those shares is if you pry them from my  _cold dead hands._ "

She began walking towards the entrance of the room as she continued, "If any of you have a problem with this," Kagome stated as she pulled open the door, gesturing out into the hallway with her free hand. "Here's the door. You are free to leave whenever you wish."

There was a long, drawn out silence.

Sesshomaru swore that time seemed to stop in that moment as he stared at the woman before him with something he hadn't given to someone in a long time;  _Respect._

The tense atmosphere was broken by a loud, booming laugh that came from Touga. He stood from the chair, chuckling to himself and appraising his daughter-in-law with pride in his eyes.

"Well said, my dear," He complimented.

"Gentlemen," Sesshomaru cut in before the entire meeting got out of hand once more. "If you are done trying to bully my wife, perhaps we can move on to signing the contract."

-o-

An hour later found Sesshomaru and Touga back in Sesshomaru's office.

"She did well," Touga commended from where he was lounging in one of the seats in front of his son's desk.

"She did," Sesshomaru agreed. His satisfaction at Kagome's upheaval of the board was nestled in his chest. No one questioned the contract after her little stunt and the merger was finally complete. It was going to make his and her lives much easier from now on.

"Where is she anyway?" Touga asked.

"Her friend picked her up. They were going back to the house so they could have lunch and Kagome could show off her completed room."

Touga frowned, then parroted, "Back to the house?"

It was the tone of his father's question that made Sesshomaru look up from his computer screen and zone in the older gentleman's worried face.

Sesshomaru silently arched a brow in inquiry.

"If I'm not mistaken, I believe Izayoi was taking  _her_ there this afternoon."

That was all Sesshomaru needed to hear before he was out the door and racing down to his car.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hate me for the cliffy!
> 
> Thank you, everyone, for reading!


	6. Sweet Child Of Mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello everyone! Here is the much anticipated next chapter.
> 
> I was astounded with how many of you reviewed and raved about the last chapter. Some of you had some interesting theories as to who our mystery "her" would be.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy the next chapter and thank you for the continued support!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, they belong to the lovely Rumiko Takahashi.

"You should have  _seen_  them Sango," Kagome wailed in frustration.

The brunette in question tried her best to simultaneously listen to her best friend vent and maintain her attention on the road in front of them.

"They went on and on about me not being  _proper_ enough to run the company!" The petite woman growled. "And then one of them mentioned my father! If I could, I would have squished that little urchin's head with my bare hands and…and… _GAH!"_

Anger boiling over, Kagome shrieked as coherent thought left her, hands running through her black tresses furiously. She tossed her head back against the headrest of the seat, lips pinching into a thin frown while sapphire eyes closed. A handful of silent seconds passed before her hands stopped raking through her hair; one falling limply into her lap while the other came to pinch the bridge of her nose.

For a moment, Kagome struggled to breathe. It felt like someone was slowly tightening their grip around the base of her neck.

Eventually, she was able to release a small, shaking breath out of her nose.

"Hey," Sango called. "Calm down, would you? Don't have a panic attack on me. Deep breaths sweetheart."

Kagome grunted in return, but headed her best friend's advice, greedily gulping in air through parted lips. Only when her head seemed to stopped spinning did she finally open her eyes. The hand that was applying pressure to the bridge of her nose moved to her temple and slowly began to rub circles in an attempt to ease her headache.

"Not even a full two weeks on the job and I threatened the board, Sango," Kagome declared, defeated.

"So?" Sango rebuked, unphased by the information. "How quickly you seem to forget that it's partially  _your_ company. You can do whatever you want."

Kagome took her friend's reprimand with a grain of salt, the hand that was soothing her head falling to join its twin in her lap. "I've never forgotten  _that_ ," Kagome rebuffed. "I just prefer not to be remembered as the woman who started an all-out war with the board after only being with the company for a few days."

The fingers on her right hand began to twist and tug at her wedding band idly. It was an odd habit Kagome happened picked up over the last few days, but for some reason, the cold metal seemed to soothe her nerves.

"…Again, I reiterate… _So_?" Sango queried. "There's nothing wrong with striking a little fear into their hearts. It shows that you won't take things lightly and…it kind of makes you look like a badass."

Cobalt hues rolled towards the ceiling of the car at her friend's choice of words, but she couldn't hide the small smile that began to play on her lips.

"Leave it to you to make a joke out of this," Kagome chided.

"I'm not making it out to be a joke," Sango corrected. "But, I do know that you're blowing this entire thing out of proportion. You haven't done anything wrong and there is absolutely no reason for you to be freaking out. Those men attacked you and instead of choosing to take it, you stood up for yourself. That sounds a very Kagome-like thing to do if you were to ask me."

The car was silent for a small moment before Kagome sighed, off-put.

"You're right," the raven-haired woman reluctantly admitted. "How do you always end up being right?"

Chocolate orbs slanted in her direction, their edges crinkled with mirth. "Didn't anyone ever tell you? Listen to you your elders because we are  _always_  right."

Kagome scoffed in response. "Sango, you are only three  _months_  older than I am. That hardly constitutes as you being considered my elder."

"Three months, or three days, it doesn't matter. I'm still older than you," The taller woman reiterated, ending her statement in a sing-song voice.

Choosing not to fall for her friend's bait, Kagome just clicked her tongue releasing a small ' _tch'_ noise. There had been plenty of petty squabbles throughout the years over their minuscule age difference. For some reason, it seemed Sango always ended up winning a majority of those arguments, mostly because it was, in fact, a true statement, but that didn't stop Kagome from trying to bring Sango down a few notches. Now was neither the time nor the place, however. Today had been exciting enough for Kagome and the dispute was not worth the effort or the continued headache.

Instead, she chose to change the topic of conversation to something that would take the spotlight off of her misadventures.

"So," The petite woman started, feigning nonchalance. "I saw Miroku at the office the other day."

"You don't say," Sango responded, attempting to appear unperturbed by the news.

Kagome knew better, however.

The hands that were gripping the steering wheel were gradually turning white-knuckled, the leather underneath giving an audible cry with the strain. "And what did our resident letcher have to say?"

"The darndest thing really," Kagome disclosed in a sickly-sweet voice. "Our dear Miroku was under the impression that you are mad at him." The younger woman shifted in her seat so that her upper body turned towards Sango, fierce sapphire eyes taking in every reaction.

Unlike Kagome, Sango was well versed in hiding her emotions – all except one. Anger was something that Sango had never been able to keep hidden, even when they were kids. Despite her best efforts, fury never failed to make the smile lines around brunette's mouth more prominent, and there was always an unmistakable twitch in her right eyebrow.

"I have no idea why he would think that," Sango ground out.

"Really?" Kagome inquired, unconvinced. "See, I thought he might have been on to something. He's been avoiding me like the plague over the last couple of days and the only reason I could come up with as to  _why_ he would do that is because he doesn't want to run into you."

Sango quickly recognized that she was being backed into a corner and chose to not to respond to Kagome's subtle accusation.

Undeterred by the other woman's silence, Kagome remained steadfast, eyes narrowing at her best friend. Internally, she hoped to garner some type of explanation from her. It wasn't like Sango to carry on like this when it came to Miroku – or anyone really.

Usually, when she was agitated, Sango chose to ignore Miroku for a day or two, a week at most. Two weeks had to have been a new record. It only further proved that whatever reason Sango was upset with Miroku for, it was increadibly important to her. It was unsettling to realize that the dark-haired woman cut Kagome off from explaining her actions for this long. It wasn't like the Sango not to share what she was thinking or feeling – especially about that pervert with the wandering hands – but Kagome was currently at a loss. Sango was headstrong – potentially more so than she was – and her choosing to remain tight-lipped, even now, meant that Kagome had to pull something drastic to get the other woman to talk.

The blue-eyed woman sat back in her seat with a huff. Recalling her conversation with Miroku from earlier the week before, Kagome took a guess as to what she thought the issue was. It was worth a shot.

"Honestly Sango, he did what I asked him to do. You know you have no right to be mad at him about the wedding."

There was another prolonged silence. Kagome unabatingly awaited some type of reaction to her enticement.

When she received none, she tried again.

"If you're going to continue angry about this, then you might as well be mad at me too," Kagome declared. "I'm the one who stood there and let him carry on with the ceremony."

At her words, the hands on the steering wheel twitched.

 _Hook_.

"And we both know that the only reason why you're taking this out on him more so than anyone else is that you're still upset about that botched date you two had a few months back."

This time, the chestnut-haired woman's entire body flinched.

_Line._

"I told him to call and talk to you, by the way. I said that you were looking to apologize," Kagome finished, casually turning to look out the window.

 _That_ little bit of information seemed to work.

"You did  _what?!_ " Sango screeched, turning her head to glare at the smaller woman.

_Sinker._

"Hey! Eyes on the road!" Kagome scolded. "Okay, so that last part was a bit of a lie. I did tell him to call you, but not because you wanted to say you're sorry."

Sango's rising ire seemed to somewhat deflate at the clarification. There was another pregnant pause where neither woman in the car spoke, but the silence broke, it was Sango who chose to speak first.

"I'm not mad at him,  _per say_ ," She started, her tone signaling that her frustration was still simmering underneath the surface. "But he is partially responsible for everything that happened."

Kagome made a motion to interrupt, but Sango cut her off before she could. "Inuyasha  _left_ Kagome. He  _left_. And instead of doing something about it, Miroku went along with the entire ceremony like nothing ever happened."

"That's because I told him to and you know it," Kagome tried to justify.

"No," Sango said shaking her head, a scowl marring her features. "No. He could have stopped you or talked you out of it if he really wanted to. I've known you for years Kagome, and I know you're stubborn, but you're  _not that stubborn._  If he were really looking out for you, as a friend, he would have never let you go through with this."

"He let me go through with this because it was what I wanted, Sango," Kagome stated softly. She wasn't looking to fight over this. "He respected my wishes and I  _wished_ to go through with the wedding. Who was he to stop me?"

"And that's another thing!" The brown-eyed woman exclaimed. "How could you have wanted to go through with this?"

' _Ah,_ ' Kagome thought. ' _So that's why she is so upset.'_

"Sango," Kagome remarked in a somber voice. "I needed to go through with this. It wasn't just for me to decide." Sango gave an unladylike snort at the explanation, but Kagome chose to ignore it and continued on. "It was what Papa wanted and I couldn't just throw everything he worked for away. I was not going to give up his company. I _will not_  give it up."

Once again, Kagome found herself underneath the scrutiny of dark eyes. Sango looked more confused than agitated, thin brows drawn down into a frown that wrinkled her forehead. For a while she merely studied Kagome from the corner of her eye, flicking her gaze between her best friend and the road.

"Your father wouldn't have wanted you to be married to a man you hardly know," Sango stated tersely without looking at her. "The Higurashi-san that I know would have called off the wedding as soon as he found out his daughter was left at the altar."

A gentle smile lit up Kagome's face. There was a flash of memories awakened by the mention of her father and Kagome welcomed these with open arms. The images filled with her mother's love and her father's child-like spirit were a soothing balm over the tension caused by the day's events.

"You're right," Kagome stated, amused. "He would have caused a scene right there in the church and called the entire thing off. I could only imagine the argument that would have broken out between himself and Touga." Despite the somber topic of conversation, Kagome couldn't help but release a small chuckle at the thought.

Kagome's giggle was enough to relax Sango's stiff posture partially. There was still a rigidness in the brunette's shoulder's that hinted she wasn't about to let this discussion drop.

"I'm just worried," Sango remarked. "It's one thing to have an arraigned marriage to a friend. It's a completely different matter to have an arranged marriage to a stranger."

Kagome frowned at the statement. "Sesshomaru wasn't…or rather,  _isn't_  a stranger. He wasn't a friend, that I will agree with, but, it wasn't like I didn't know who he was. We were…acquaintances?" It was more of a question than an explanation and it came as no surprise that Sango didn't believe a word of it.

Before the dark-haired woman could formulate another retort, Kagome continued. "He's trying, Sango."

At the disbelieving raise of both of Sango's eyebrows, Kagome smirked slightly. "I'm serious. He's been nothing but supportive in both the office and at home."

The relationship between herself and Sesshomaru – if she could even call it such – was still new, but over the last few days, he indulged Kagome on her whims. She tried to understand Sesshomaru like he was a difficult subject in school and, it seemed in turn, he was trying to do the same. Kagome was grateful for their dinners together, even more so for the unique interactions they shared. Instead of leaving her to her own devices once they left the office, Sesshomaru chose to ease her through the transition into his home.

It was overwhelming to note that there were no bonds, no lengths, no depths of any relationship between the two preceding their marriage; there were no pressures that would sway them one way or another or biases that were influencing them getting to know each other. It left them to build and create a life that was all their own.

They may not have been friends, but there was trust, and that was the foundation for  _something_.

Kagome knew that anything romantic would most likely never occur between the two of them, but it was nice to have someone that understood where she was coming from. A partner in every sense of the word; someone who had the same circumstances thrust upon them. Sesshomaru was a new stability in her life and Kagome found herself quickly becoming accustomed to him.

Even if her marriage would provide nothing but a house and a companion, Kagome was content with her choice. It was more than what she thought she would be graced with the day that Sesshomaru joined her at the altar.

"I trust him," Kagome confessed, voicing the words that she had been previously processing. "He's a good man, Sango and…," The younger woman trailed off for a moment, trying to come up with the proper wording that could express exactly how she felt. "I'm actually  _happy_  it turned out the way it did."

That seemed to appease Sango more than anything Kagome had said previously. The tension in her shoulders finally died out.

"I'm still worried," Sango repeated in a mumbled tone.

Instead of responding, Kagome reached across the expanse of the car and yanked on a forelock of her friend's hair.

"Ouch!" The taller woman yelled.

"None of that," Kagome scolded. "I'm not mad at you Sango and I hope that you're not mad at me. I know you're worried about me and I am so grateful for that, but I'm honestly okay."

Sango smacked away the hand that was still lightly pulling on her hair. "I don't know why I waste my time worrying about you. You could be lying in a hospital bed bleeding to death and you would still tell me not to be concerned about it."

"You make it sound like that's such a bad quality to have," Kagome quipped.

The response to her comment was a soft sigh before silence encompassed the car once more.

"You really should call him," Kagome murmured after a moment. "He may be a little 'hands on' in certain situations, but Miroku doesn't deserve you being mad at him for no reason. He did seem genuinely troubled that you're not speaking to him."

Sango didn't look in Kagome's direction when she grunted her affirmation. "We'll see."

Kagome knew that whether Sango agreed outright or not, she was most likely going to call Miroku and apologize for her misguided anger.

The small victory over her friend made Kagome smile.

-o-

The remainder of the car ride passed with little conflict. The remaining time was filled with mindless chatter on different things that had occurred in both women's lives over the past week. Sango currently worked for a technology company which specialized in processors for computers. At the news of the Higurashi Tech. and Taisho Inc. merger, Sango's boss asked her to contact someone at the company with the proposition of formulating a contact.

"He's young, but he's smart," The other woman commented offhandedly as the car pulled up the gravel driveway of Sesshomaru's home. "He has two vice presidents who are most likely going to be involved. Their group is very close-knit, but I think it would be worth looking over."

Kagome nodded absently in affirmation, taking note that there was a car in the driveway she didn't immediately recognize. At the lack of a verbal reply, Sango turned her head in Kagome's direction before following her line of sight.

"Whose car is that?" She questioned as their own vehicle rolled to a stop behind the black town car which resided in the middle of the path.

"I'm not entirely sure," Kagome mumbled. "I've seen that car before; I just can't remember where."

They received the answer to their question the moment they both stepped out of the car. As Kagome's feet touched the broken stones which made up the driveway, the front door was tossed open to reveal Myouga and – much to Kagome's pleasant surprise – Izayoi Taisho.

"Izayoi!" Kagome called happily, scrambling up the porch steps in a flurry onyx hair. The older woman met her halfway, seemingly just as eager to greet her.

The two embraced in a tight hug that had Izayoi laughing from the delight it brought. "Well," Kagome's mother-in-law declared after they broke apart. "If that isn't one of the warmest welcomes I've ever received!"

Kagome smiled broadly, "It's good to see you."

And it was.

If there had been one person – besides her own mother – who checked on her most frequently since the wedding, it was Izayoi. Kagome may have spoken regularly with all of her friends, but both her mother and her new in-law were relentless in their need to call her under the guise of talking about senseless things. If she had to guess, Kagome assumed that both women were trying to gauge how she was faring from afar.

Suddenly having Izayoi standing before her was a welcomed change of pace of the strenuous day. Though they spoke often enough over the last couple of days, Kagome hadn't seen her mother-in-law since the wedding.

By now, Sango had joined both women on the deck, choosing to approach at a much slower pace than Kagome had.

"Izayoi-san," Sango greeted with a small inclination of her head.

Izayoi's soft brown eyes moved to regard Sango, her smile never wavering as she bowed her own welcoming acknowledgment. "It's good to see you again, Sango-san."

"Likewise," The younger woman reiterated with a grin.

Myouga, who had been oddly silent throughout the entire exchange, chose to make his presence known after the women finished their reception of one another.

"Touga-sama called to warn us that you both were coming," He said in the way of greeting.

Initially, Kagome thought it was odd that he hadn't received Sango or herself verbally and with a light tilt her head, Kagome regarded the older male with a puzzled expression. There was something about the wording Myouga used that seemed off.

Taking in his full appearance, Kagome realized that it wasn't just an immediate gut reaction. There was definitely something wrong with the short male as he stood there, ringing his hands mercilessly and looking in every direction…except he wouldn't  _look at her_.

"He called…to warn you?" Kagome probed, her mind swirling with her perplexity at the odd behavior.

Myouga's spine stiffened at the question, black eyes urgently diverting to Izayoi before finally glancing in Kagome's direction.

"Erm…you see," He verbally stumbled, struggling to find the proper wording. "Lady Izayoi was here…um…"

As the elder male floundered, Kagome and Sango shared a quick, confused glance. Over the last two weeks, Kagome had learned at least one thing: Myouga was always calm and collected – even under Sesshomaru's intense perusal. It didn't matter the situation or who was speaking to him, Myouga never broke from character. For him to be this outwardly disturbed was an extremely unwelcomed sight.

"Touga called to warn me not to leave without seeing you," Izayoi said in a gentle voice, saving the Taisho's employee from further explanation. "It's been a while since I've seen you, he didn't want to me to miss out on the opportunity."

The abrupt answer mollified Kagome somewhat. "It has been a while," she agreed.

It wasn't long before another question arose. Kagome knew well enough that Sesshomaru and Izayoi interacted as little as possible. The notion of her mother-in-law  _physically_  being present at her stepson's home was another thing that seemed to be entirely out of character.

"I hope you don't feel that I'm being rude by asking," Kagome started her inquiry, turning to regard the Taisho matriarch once more. "But Izayoi, what are you doing here?"

It was now Izayoi's turn to tense, though the rigidness that encompassed her posture was much subtler than the uneasy waves that Myouga's posture emitted. With her shoulders pushed back and her stance suddenly straightened, Izayoi didn't hesitate in answering Kagome's question right away.

"Touga is looking for a copy of a file that he insists Sesshomaru took from him," The older woman explained with a chuckle that sounded a little  _too_  involuntary for Kagome's liking. "He requested that I snoop around for him while you all were in the board meeting. How did that go, by the way?"

Once again, Kagome accepted the explanation without a second thought, despite the peculiar behavior of the elders in front of her. At the sudden change in topic, the tension that seemed to have enveloped the group, released.

"Er…well," It was Kagome's turn to make a mess of her own commentary. "It was…lively."

At her daughter-in-law's unorthodox verbiage, Izayoi's curiosity peeked. It also didn't help Kagome's case that Sango rumbled something under her breathe, which gave the distinct impression that the word used to describe said meeting didn't do it justice.

"You don't say," Izayoi hummed with a distinct raise of her eyebrow. "Well, you have to tell me all about it!"

The older, dark-haired woman strode forward, planting herself between Sango and Kagome. Izayoi looped her arms through the younger women's, securing both of them by the elbow.

For someone almost thirty years their senior, Izayoi's grip was surprisingly firm.

"It would be a waste not to enjoy such a fine spring day," Izayoi stated, leading both of them towards the corner of the veranda, where the porch swing and wicker chairs resided. "Myouga can you go make us something to eat and some tea? You girls are probably famished."

"Right away, Lady Izayoi!" The steward called before ducking back into the house.

"We really don't have that much time Izayoi," Kagome commented, trying to halt their progress by digging in her heels. "We only came so Sango could see the room and have a quick bite to eat. Both of us need to get back to our offices soon."

Undeterred by the blatant rejection of her idea, Izayoi just smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Nonsense," she rebuffed, continuing to pull Kagome along. "Showing Sango-san the room wouldn't take more than a few minutes. Why don't you two relax for a bit? It'll be nice to have a little break before you have to head back to work."

"Thank you, Izayoi-san," Sango said, disentangling – how the hell did she make it look so easy? – herself from the older woman's grasp. "But, really were not staying long. I have to be back before my lunch break ends, so were most likely going to take our meals to go."

The hand that was still gripping Kagome tightened in reflex at the second unabashed snub, but after a short pause, Izayoi released her hold on her raven-haired daughter-in-law.

"Well," Izayoi stated, tersely. "We can't let you be late, now can we? Come, girls let's go see if Myouga can pack you up something for your ride back."

For the second time in the last few minutes, Sango and Kagome shared a puzzled glance as Izayoi briskly lead them back towards the front door. Sango tried to hold Kagome's gaze from the corner of her eye, silently asking her ' _what the hell is going on?'_ , but Kagome couldn't provide a proper answer. She didn't know what to tell Sango, let alone what to think herself.

If there were one word she could use to describe the way both Myouga and Izayoi were acting it would be unusual. She may not have known Myouga well, but Kagome had known Izayoi for years. She had never seen the dark-haired woman so  _forceful_  before.

As the trio entered the house, Izayoi didn't stop, making her way through the foyer and halfway down the corridor, passing the living room.

"Myouga?" She called out in a tone that seemed borderline overwrought.

Instead of coming out of the kitchen like they presumed that he would, Myouga appeared behind all three women, exiting the wing of the house that was designated to Sesshomaru and his personal rooms.

"Are you alright Myouga?" Kagome inquired, taking in her employee's appearance.

Myouga was  _always_  neat and orderly, but right now he looked a little worse for wear. His navy blue haori was untied while the white kosode he wore underneath happened to be untucked on the right side. His dark gray hakama looked unkempt; what was once pristine was now covered in creases, like he had been rolling around on the floor. Sweat beaded on his brow and his cheeks were flushed with red blotches from some unknown exertion. Kagome was sure that if he had more hair, it would be standing on end.

"I'm fine, Kagome," He assured, out of breath. "I was just looking for something in er…Lord Sesshomaru's office.

Kagome knew a lie when she heard one, but she chose not to push the subject, nodding dumbly as she acquiesced his answer.

"Maybe Souten or Shippo could help you?" She offered as a solution to whatever it was that seemed to be troubling him. "You seem to be having a bit of a difficult time."

"Ah well," The steward fidgeted, hastily pulling and tucking his clothing back into proper order. "They both are out grocery shopping this afternoon."

"Maybe Kagome and I could help you?" Sango offered good-naturedly. The brunette seemed just as off-put by the elder's behavior as Kagome was, but it didn't stop her from taking a step towards the entry to the corridor with the intention of lending a hand.

"No!" Izayoi all but shouted, cutting off Sango's path with her own body. "No, no need for you to concern yourself, Sango-san. Why don't I go see if I can find it for you Myouga?"

Without waiting for a response to her offer, Izayoi disappeared down the hallway in a whirlwind, leaving the two women to stare after her with twin expressions of shock. If Kagome thought her mother-in-law's behavior was odd before, she now felt Izayoi was acting downright bizarre.

"…Does she even know what you were looking for?" Kagome asked after a moment uncomfortable silence between the three people left standing in the main corridor.

"Yes, she does," Myouga stated, looking at the hallway which Izayoi fled down with – what Kagome could only make out as – beseeching eyes. "Why don't you two go to your room Kagome? I can bring your lunch shortly."

"Actually, why don't I help you put together our lunch?" Kagome questioned, attempting to shake off the uneasy feeling that was beginning to knot in her stomach. Perhaps the quicker she and Sango got out of the house, the faster they could put this entire situation behind them and things could return to the little sense of normalcy their lives had. "We're not going to stay here to eat; I just need to pack a few things up."

"There's no need," Myouga assured, shifting on his feet so that he was angled towards her. To Kagome, it looked like he was placing himself in such a way so that he would be able to cut off her path to the kitchen if need be. "I can handle it, I assure you."

Cobalt hues narrowed slightly. It was one thing for Myouga to be acting strangely, it was another for him to refuse her outright. Over the last two weeks, Kagome had made it well known to all the housing staff that she would not idly sit about. If she could lend a hand, then she would. Up until now, all three of Sesshomaru's employees had taken her friendly nature in stride.

"I know you can handle it," Kagome challenged, her tone showing that she was starting to become a little fed up with this entire endeavor. "It'll be quicker if I help you. We are on a time limit."

It wasn't like Myouga to fight back on much of anything. He was the type that wanted to please others, no matter the circumstance. In comparison to Souten and Shippo, Myouga always found something to do for either herself or Sesshomaru, and it was completed at a brisk pace. Even when she chose to lend a hand with the chores around the house, Myouga ran circles around Kagome. Never once did he deter her actions, however, and usually welcomed her assistance, no matter how clumsy it was.

To Kagome's continued surprise, Myouga chose to remain headstrong in his refusal on  _this_  current subject.

"No need," He said offhandedly. This time when shuffled his stance, there was no mistaking that he was, in fact, trying to stop Kagome from entering the kitchen. He inched slowly in front of her. "I'll do it myself."

Sango sensed the strain beginning to seep into the room, chocolate orbs hovering between Myouga and her best friend. Kagome may not have shared much about her life in Sesshomaru's home, but from the way that she was looking at the butler, Sango could tell that his actions were extremely uncharacteristic. As much as she would have enjoyed watching the battle of wills between employer and employee, this was not Sango's situation to get involved in. It was time for her to concede.

"Kagome," The brunette cut in. "I think I'll wait for you in your room. Let me know when you're ready to leave."

Kagome refused to remove her tightened gaze from the elder, but she gave Sango a slight nod of her head, letting her friend know that she heard her. After Sango disappeared from Kagome's peripheral vision, the petite woman took a bold step towards the kitchen. As she previously suspected, Kagome was met with a matching movement from Myouga as he stepped entirely in front of her, cutting off her progress.

"What are you doing Myouga?" Kagome questioned in a firm tone.

This behavior was so unlike the man that she had come to know over the couple of weeks that speculation swam in her mind. Just what was going on? Kagome tried to come up with a reason;  _anything_  that could explain why he was acting this way.

Her mind quickly fed on her insecurities, all thoughts growing toxic. Had she done something to upset Sesshomaru? Was he the one making both of them act like this? Sure, they hadn't spoken after the meeting, but he didn't seem upset with her, neither had Touga. The way Myouga was acting made it look like this was something personal; that whatever he and Izayoi were hiding had to do with  _her._  There was a tightness settling in her chest at the thought, but Kagome tried to shake it off.

The old steward chose not to answer Kagome's question right away. Instead, beady black eyes broke from their locked gaze on her form and slid to glance at something over Kagome's shoulder.

Turning her head marginally, Kagome caught a glimpse of Izayoi who had joined them back in the hallway. Kagome's mother-in-law looked just as disheveled as Myouga had when he first exited that corridor. The older woman's pants filled the hall, chestnut eyes glancing to the steward with something akin to frantic apprehension.

"I  _couldn't_  find what you were looking for, Myouga," Izayoi said, fussing over the frayed hair that escaped the neat bun on the back of her head.

"What are you two looking for exactly?" Kagome asked, blue eyes alternating their narrowed stare between Myouga and Izayoi. "What is that you're both hiding? And why can't I go into the kitchen?"

Myouga chose to remain stubbornly silent, leaving the explanation to Izayoi, who in turn, tittered stiffly.

"We're not hiding anything, Kagome," Izayoi assured.

Kagome looked towards the inky-haired woman with something akin to distrust. "After all these years Izayoi, I can tell when you're lying. You use that same high-pitched tone when you're talking to one of Touga's competitors."

The words made her Izayoi flinch back as if she had been physically struck. Instead of folding under her daughter-in-law's accusation like Kagome hoped her would, Izayoi carried on feigning ignorance.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," She insisted in a cutting tone, her own brown eyes narrowing.

"Oh really?" Kagome deadpanned.

Without warning, Kagome spun on her heel and lunged forward, pushing passed Myouga. His stance gave way under the force of being caught off guard, Kagome's height advantage assisting her in barreling through the blockade the older male tried to exude. Fleetingly, Kagome felt a stab of guilt at handling Myouga in such a way, but she  _needed_  an explanation for all of the theatrics.

"Kagome, don't go in there!" Izayoi screeched.

It was too late; Kagome already crossed the threshold into the tiled room by the time the older raven-haired woman's exclamation had reached her ears. With the way that they were both acting, Kagome would have thought that there was some dangerous threat in the kitchen; someone or something that would cause her harm and all they were looking to do was protect her from harm.

Whatever the reason behind this entire ruse was, Kagome didn't find it in the kitchen. Instead, she found an empty, yet spotless room with absolutely nothing out of order.

Kagome rounded on the duo when she felt them come to a halt behind her. "Just what is going on?!"

Neither elder responded to her wailed inquiry as they both stood in the archway wearing to two matching expressions of dismay. Myouga's eyes were the largest Kagome had ever seen them, his eyebrows impossibly high on his forehead and Izayoi stood with a gaping expression on her face, her jaw unhinged.

"What on earth is the matter with the two of you?" Kagome questioned shrilly, clearly exasperated. She struggled with the urge to stomp her foot like a child.

Again, neither answered her. Izayoi turned toward Myouga, dark eyes boring into the side of his head. Onyx hues never strayed towards the older woman, however. They slowly perused the entirety of the kitchen, sweeping from one side of the room to another, calculating every detail; apparently looking for something that  _wasn't_  there.

Without preamble, Myouga scrambled to cross the threshold of the room, opening the sliding glass door with a loud  _'snap_ ' and disappearing out onto the patio.

"What the hell…?" Kagome muttered following the frantic path the older male created with her eyes. Confusion only gave way to full-fledged panic when Izayoi suddenly fled out onto the patio as well, her movements frenzied.

"Izayoi?" Kagome called after her, taking a small, tentative step towards the exit to the backyard. Dread seemed to consume her as she watched the two disappear into the gardens in the yard, hectic in their searching.

Kagome didn't make it very far. A quiet voice called out her name, halting her movements.

Turning, azure orbs found Sango standing demurely just outside of the archway that lead to the kitchen. Immediately, Kagome knew that something was wrong. Her friend's fair skin seemed to take on an ashen hue, dark eyes sunken. She was looking at Kagome, but she wasn't  _seeing._  Sango had her arms wrapped around herself, but it wasn't a gesture of defiance or anger; Sango was holding herself up, providing her own comfort.

"Sango?" Kagome ventured, trepidation and worry stirring in her stomach. "Is everything alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Sango was silent, staring at her with a cryptic glint in her eyes. They settled into an uncomfortable silence for a long moment before Sango uncrossed her arms.

"You need to see this," Was all her best friend offered before Sango pivoted on her heels, making her way into the living room with stiff, awkward strides.

' _What is going on in this house?'_ Kagome groaned mentally, following closely behind Sango.

The sudden change in the taller woman's attitude paired with the overwhelming dismay that Izayoi and Myouga were presenting, made Kagome extremely  _worried_. Her hands restlessly twitched at her sides, unsure what she was to expect while the duo made their way through the sunken sitting room and into the hallway that lead to Kagome's room.

When they approached her bedroom door, Sango hesitated, turning her head to the side so that she could peer at Kagome. There was a maelstrom of emotions brewing in those dark depths; the most prominent being anticipation, worry, and  _pity_. Without saying anything, Sango brought her index finger to her lips, signaling to Kagome to be silent as they continued their journey into her bedroom.

Instead of questioning her friend's motives, Kagome gave a curt nod of her head, slipping stealthily through the open bedroom door behind Sango. Upon Kagome's initial inspection of her bedroom, nothing seemed out of place. Souten must have cleaned the room earlier for the bed was remade and the white lacquered furniture, which had arrived that past weekend, had a natural shine to their surfaces.

It was only on the second surveillance of her bedroom did Kagome notice that both her closet and bathroom lights were on, doors tossed wide open. Sango stopped halfway across the carpeted floor, looking back at Kagome before gesturing towards the bathroom with a jerky motion of her chin.

Kagome's brows drew down into a frown, curious as to what Sango was trying to tell her. It wasn't long before she heard it; though it was so quiet that Kagome wasn't sure she heard  _anything_. It happened twice more before she realized  _exactly_  what she was hearing. There was a telltale sound of something or – rather – someone moving around in her personal bathroom, followed by a soft, childish giggle.

Well _,_  that _wasn_ 't something you heard every day.

Kagome's eyebrows shot up, only to disappear behind her bangs. Calmly, almost  _too calmly_ , she made her way towards the bathroom door. Making her way past the closet, sapphire hues took in the destruction that was once the neat and organized sub-room. A majority of her clothes were scattered across the floor, some in a nest-like pile thrown together in the middle of the room. Kagome stopped a few feet back from the entrance to the bathroom. It was far enough for her to be able to look at what was going on inside while simultaneously not intruding on what was going on inside.

The sight that greeted her was something that Kagome  _had not_  been expecting.

There, sprawled out on the white tiled floor of her bathroom, was a little girl who seemed to have made herself quite comfortable amongst Kagome's belongings. The child couldn't have been more than twelve or thirteen, inky black hair flowing down her back, ending at her narrowed hips. Her bangs were pulled out of her face, pinned up into a side ponytail on the crown of her head. The way that the preteen was situated, Kagome couldn't make out the color of her eyes, but with the pale complexion of the girl's skin, Kagome assumed that they were most likely a smoky color. She was tiny, scrawny even, but it didn't look like it was because of mistreatment, it just seemed like she had a small build. In fact, judging by the designer sundress she was wearing, this little girl had someone wealthy taking  _very good_ care of her.

A pale blue make-up bag – that suspiciously looked like Kagome's – joined the little girl on the floor, carelessly tossed open. There were different cosmetic packages scattered across the floor; some open, some not. Currently, the young girl was holding one of Kagome's favorite eyeshadows up to her face for inspection.

"Oh!" She chirped, her voice childishly warm. "This is a beautiful color. I wonder if she wears it often."

Unsure of how to proceed, Kagome cleared her throat, taking one step towards the bathroom door. At the sound, little girl's head snapped up with a gasp and a flutter of onyx hair, dropping the eyeshadow cartridge. It clattered to the floor, but neither woman paid attention to it, both their lips parted in an unceremonious 'o' shape.

For the second time in her life, Kagome Higurashi found herself held captive by a unique pair of golden eyes.

They were more of a burnt copper than amber, a faded orange-red that was tarnished with flecks of gold gilt that lightened the overall color. They glistened as the light hit them, shock and fear evident in those tawny depths.

There was no question as to who this girl was related to.

"Oh," Kagome said, unintelligently.

The girl seemed to get over her initial shock of being caught, staring at the woman before her with wary foreboding.

" _Grandma!"_  She suddenly wailed loudly, scrambling to stand.

"Grandma?" Sango parroted, appearing at Kagome's side instantly. Intense speculation filled the young girl's gaze at the arrival of a second woman, but before anyone could question anything, Izayoi rushed into the room, followed closely by a frenzied Myouga.

"Rin!" Her mother-in-law cried, bee-lining for the bathroom door. Izayoi didn't spare the older women a second glance, her eyes solely for the little girl.

Izayoi knelt down in front of her granddaughter, grasping her by the shoulders with both of her hands.

"Thank god," The Taisho matriarch sighed in relief, pulling the small body towards her own in a tight embrace. "I thought I told you to stay in your room. You had Myouga and I scared sick, we couldn't find you!"

The pre-teen squirmed out of her grandmother's hold, looking slightly abashed. She fidgeted for a moment, gnawing on her bottom lip while her hands fumbled awkwardly in front of her.

"I know, Grandma," The tiny voice murmured. "I just wanted to look around a bit! To see some things so I can know what she's like!"

The innocent explanation seemed to appease Izayoi because she suddenly sighed, her body slumping with the exhale. She didn't stay like that long, however. The older woman happened to suddenly remember who was among the silent audience watching the small display.

Slowly, tentatively, Izayoi turned towards Sango and Kagome, her eyes explicitly honing in her daughter-in-law.

"Now, Kagome…" Izayoi started, moving to stand. Whatever she was going to say was cut off when the young girl –  _Rin_  – turned to eye both women no longer with fear, but with hopeful enthusiasm.

"Kagome?" Rin repeated, golden gaze flickering between both women pausing only to quickly appraise both Sango and Kagome from head to toe individually.

Turning back to her grandmother, the girl asked, "You mean one of these ladies is her? One of them is the woman who married Papa?"

"Papa!?" Sango screeched causing everyone in the room to wince at the sheer volume of her squeal.

"Kagome," Izayoi reiterated, taking a step towards her daughter-in-law.

The word never registered with the petite woman. Kagome just stared; just  _looked_  at the little girl who was clutching to Izayoi's arm and eyeing her with unabashed happiness.

Slowly, Kagome's mind seemed to catch up with the implications that were being laid before her.

There was a little girl in her bathroom.

There was a little girl in her bathroom; a little girl who was calling Izayoi 'grandmother'.

There was a little girl in her bathroom; a little girl who was calling Izayoi 'grandmother,'  _and_ talking about someone marrying her 'Papa.'

"Oh," Kagome said for the second time. The room around her suddenly shifted; her world spinning as while her mind caught up with the entire situation.

This little girl was the 'thing' that both Izayoi and Myouga were searching for.

This little girl was what they were trying to hide from her.

This little girl…This little girl was Sesshomaru's daughter.

" _Oh,_ " The raven-haired woman reiterated for the third time before ungracefully falling to the floor, knees giving out as she landed on her backside.

This little girl was her step-daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, two fully functioning adults lost a child.
> 
> Thank you, everyone, for reading!


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